Hogwarts - Term 5
by JailyForever
Summary: A compilation of assignments written as part of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments). Pomona has her heart broken (1). Harry is an assassin (2) Neville has a shock (3). Voldemort wins AU! Neville leads the resistance (4). Arabella stays with her aunt (5). Lucius and Narcissa discuss Bellatrix (6) Luna meets a very different Hermione in the train (7)
1. Potions A1 - Betrayal - Pomona

**A/N:**

 **Written as part of an assignment for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

 **Subject:** Potions

 **Task:** Write about someone being paralyzed.

 **Prompts:** (Character) Pomona Sprout, (Item) Flower Pot

 **Gringotts:** OC Name: Male – Vincent Tate; Spells/Charms: Jinx – Singing Jinx; Feelings/Emotions: Hurt – Humiliated, Wronged; Charmed Season 1: Episode 5 – (Word) Paralysed; Charmed Season 1: Episode 12 – (Word) Betrayal

 **Chocolate Frog:** Bronze – Arcturus Black I – Prompts – Gold, Possible, Family, Old

 **Word Count:** 962

* * *

Betrayal

Pomona hummed quietly to herself as she walked down the winding path that led to her modest cottage that she shared with her fiancé Vincent Tate.

She was very much looking forward to surprising him by arriving home early from work, having had the help of a few enthusiastic seventh years doing the preparations for the next day's lessons.

She understood how hard it had been for him to move to a new village, and that he had been having trouble finding work ever since his career ending Quidditch injury earlier that year. She also knew that she had been awfully busy at work, and hadn't been there for him as much as she should have been, but she was determined to more than make up for it, and she would start by making him his favourite meal.

The green-fingered witch placed the flower pot under her arm, and opened her front door.

As she walked inside, and set her keys down on the small round table by the door, Pomona couldn't help but notice that it was eerily quiet inside, especially considering that Vincent was loud, proud, and unashamed of making as much noise as possible.

Pomona contented herself with the thought that Vincent must had gone down the road to the pub for a Butterbeer or two. After all, there was only so much time you could spend staring at the same four walls without getting bored, and he needed to get out of the house more.

She meandered into the kitchen, and poured herself a glass of cold water.

As she sipped the water she heard a clatter upstairs, followed by a soft and unfamiliar giggle.

Someone was in her house.

The witch set the glass down, and headed upstairs to investigate the sound.

She wandered along the corridor, straining her ears to hear any other noises, and she wasn't disappointed. As she neared the end of corridor where her bedroom was located, she heard the soft laughter again.

As Pomona placed her hand on the door handle, her mind raced with all the possibilities of what she would find on the other side. She fiercely hoped that there would be an innocent explanation instead of the worst case scenario she was vividly envisioning.

She pushed the door open, and froze.

It was worse; so much worse than she could ever have imagined. She would give all the gold in the world for it not to be true, but there was no arguing with what was right in front of her.

There he was, the love of her life, doing unspeakable things to the woman he had introduced to her as his sister – Vivian.

She knew that she should say something, do something, or leave – do anything but just stand there and watch them, but she couldn't.

No matter how much she willed her eyes to move away from the entwined couple, no matter how much she silently begged her feet to move, she couldn't.

She was rooted to the spot – paralysed by her shock, by her disbelief, and by the ultimate betrayal.

Her whole future vanished before her very eyes. The possibility of growing old and grey with the man who was supposed to always love her, and having a family had been ripped away from her in the blink of an eye.

Minutes could have passed, or even hours. Time had no meaning as tears pricked her eyes, and the couple reached the conclusion of their copulation.

"I wish you could stay, my dear, but Pom will be home soon," she heard him whisper as he kissed her tenderly on the cheek the same way he would with her.

"When are you going to tell her Vincent?" Vivian asked in a whiny voice.

"Soon, very soon, my love, and then we will be together," Vincent promised, sitting up in the bed, and swinging his legs around to face the window. "I just need a little more time."

Pomona narrowed her eyes at the now fully revealed woman, who had finally realised they were not alone in the bedroom.

"Would now be too soon?" Vivian asked with a smug look on her face.

"Of course it is, Viv," Vincent said, turning around to face his lover, and his eyes fell on Pomona who was still stood in the doorway.

"Pom, I'm sorry – it's not what it –" he started.

"Don't, just don't," Pomona whispered quietly, trying to keep her voice steady. "Pack your bags and go. I never want to see you again. And you can take the bed with you!"

When he didn't move, Pomona, finally finding the will to move, reached into the inside of her robe and drew her wand.

"Now Vincent," she hissed, pointing her wand directly at him and firing a stinging jinx at him. "Get out, and take your whore with you."

Pomona fired more stinging hexes at her now ex-fiancé and his lover as they scrambled around for their clothes, and continued a rapid stream of them until they disapparated from view.

As soon as they were gone Pomona sank to the ground, and finally allowed the strangled cry she had been holding back to come. She hugged her knees to her chest, and rocked back and forth as she cried.

She wished that she could obliviate the scenes she had witnessed from her memory, but she knew that if she did she would forget the all important lesson that she had learnt.

Men were scum. They could not be trusted, and she would never allow herself to trust another one with her heart – it would only leave her open and vulnerable to further humiliation.

It was a tough lesson, but it was one that she would carry with her forever.


	2. Music History A1 - His Best Kill - Harry

**A/N:**

 **Written as an assignment for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

 **Subject:** Music History - Melody

 **Task:** Write a story about a character from the Golden Trio

 **July Event:** The Chosen Ones – Competition

 **Bonus Prompt:** Assassin AU

 **Word Prompt Challenge:** Allow

 **Gringotts:** Charmed Season 1: Episode 9 – (Object) Gun; Charmed Season 1: Episode14 – (Action) Holding someone at gunpoint; How I Met Your Mother: Season 1 – Muggle AU; Muggle Occupation – Accountant; A-Z AU – Assassin; Prepositions – Atop, Down, Within

 **Word Count:** 866

* * *

His Best Kill

Harry Potter, assassin for the cartel group known to the world as The Knights of Walpurgis, briskly walked down the street towards the home of his next target.

Believe it or not, Harry had not always followed this career path. In fact, by assassin standards he was fairly new to the trade, but after just three short years he was one of the best.

Until the event that changed his life forever, Harry Potter had in fact been a very respectable accountant. He had thrived on the nine-five hours he kept, and the rigid organisation of all his work, even though it didn't make him happy.

But all that had changed on the eve of his twenty-fifth birthday, when he had returned home earlier than usual to find his wife slumped on the floor, clutching their infant daughter, and a filthy man standing over their bodies with a sneer across his face.

In that moment, Harry had felt more rage than he had ever thought it possible to feel. He had grabbed an umbrella from the stand by the door, and charged at the disgusting animal, who was pointing his gun directly at him. He had jabbed him over and over and over again, until finally he stopped fighting back and was nothing more than another corpse on the floor next to his wife.

Any ordinary person would have felt guilt, or disgust at what they had just done, even if it was an act of revenge – but not Harry Potter, he had felt pride, and immediately set about disposing of the body in a calm and effective manner.

It was only half an hour later, when he had taken care of everything and discarded his own bloody clothes that he called the police to report his wife and daughter's murder. The investigation was carried out, and naturally it had yielded no results. The case had been closed less than six months later.

Ordinarily, this would have been the end of the matter, but Harry's actions had been closely watched on that fateful evening, and he had captured the attention of the very organisation that had organised the hit on his wife.

One evening he was approached by the leader of the organisation, Tom Riddle, and was offered a job by him. Tom had remarked on how impressed he had been with Harry, and how well he had covered his tracks. According to Tom, these were the markings of a truly great assassin, and with a little work on his technique, Harry could become one of the best in the business.

Harry hadn't needed any time at all to think about his answer, and immediately agreed to join the organisation. Ever since he had killed the man, whose name he had since learned was called Antonin Dolohov, he had been lusting after another opportunity to take another life.

Over the next three years, Harry had rose through the ranks, and had since earned himself quite a reputation, and had the best kill rate in the business. Within the organisation, there was even talk about him being 'The Chosen One'; the one who would take control of The Knights of Walpurgis upon the death of Tom Riddle.

Harry found this hard to believe, but it gave him such a rush to know that he was thought so highly over by his comrades.

The assassin finally reached his vantage point, atop a building across the road from his target's hom, and proceeded to set up his equipment. By his reckoning, it would be approximately fifteen minutes before his next target arrived home.

Right on schedule his target arrived home, and Harry stared down the barrel of his gun at his next target: Ronald Billius Weasley, a man who had offended his boss by defaulting on the last several payments of a loan, and had recently made threats about going to the police. This was something that the organisation could not allow.

Most of the time, Harry would have passed on an assignment such as this, and passed it onto one of the newer recruits, but this was Ron Weasley, the man who he had thought was his friend until he had married his first love. After that day, Harry had secretly hated him with a passion, which never subsided, not even when he married Ginny. It was for this simple reason that Harry had jumped at the opportunity to carry out this particular kill.

Harry's finger rested on the trigger as he followed Ron into the living room.

3,

2,

1!

Harry pulled the trigger back, and watched as the bullet flew through the air, hitting Ronald Weasley in the middle of the forehead.

A smirk crossed Harry's face as he watched Ron fall to the ground. He took a few minutes to savour the moment, before packing up his equipment, and heading home. After all, he needed to be ready to answer the phone when the recently widowed and vulnerable woman inevitably called him for comfort.

Harry Potter would forever remember this kill as the best one of his career, especially two years from then, on the day of his wedding to Hermione Granger, his first love.

 **A/N:**

 **Let me know your thoughts in a review**

 **All feedback is appreciated**

 **xoxo**


	3. DADA A2 Task2- Secrets and Guys- Neville

**Subject:** Defence Against The Dark Arts Task 2

 **Task:** Write about someone preventing further harm or damage

 **Additional Prompt:** (Word) Fist

 **Monopoly:** The Three Broomsticks

 **Gringotts:** Charmed Season 1: Episode 4 – (Object) Newspaper; Charmed Season 1: Episode 5 – (Word) Dream, Charmed Season 1: Episode 8 – (Word) Truth, Charmed Season 1: Episode 9 – (Word) Copy, Charmed Season 1: Episode 12 – (Word) Betrayal, Charmed Season 1: Episode 14 – (Title) Secrets and Guys; Sex and the City Season 1: Episode 1 – (Word) Article; Sex and the City Season 1: Episode 3 – (Word) Humiliated; Pairing: Slash Same Gen – Neville/Viktor

 **Word Count:** 1149

* * *

Secrets and Guys

 _ **Quidditch hero Viktor Krum's salacious secret**_

Neville stared at the copy of The Daily Prophet in front of him. His eyes glassed over with tears he refused to let fall as he read the article on the front page. He couldn't believe what he was reading.

His hands balled into fists at his side. Anger coursed through his veins as his eyes drifted over towards the bar where his long term boyfriend was stood ordering their drinks. He wanted nothing more than to put his fist through a wall.

Neville didn't know whether to laugh or scream as he read the last line:

 _And don't worry my dear readers, Me, Myself and I will exhaust every avenue of enquiry in an attempt to find out the long hidden identity of Mr Krum's mystery woman, and discover how she is dealing with this cruel sting of betrayal._

Of course the world thought he was a woman. When Viktor had announced to the press that he was in a long term relationship, he had understandable failed to correct them when they jumped to the natural conclusion that he was in a heterosexual relationship.

Unfortunately, no matter how much the wizarding world tried to show it had progressed and accepted the concept of same sex relationships, the idea of a sports star being homosexual was practically unthinkable. It was the only part of his relationship with Viktor that Neville hated, and now he had been betrayed by the man he thought he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

Before Neville could gather his thoughts, Viktor had returned with their drinks and sat down across from him

"Vot is wrong?" Viktor asked almost immediately, rubbing his foot up against Neville's shin as he always did in public to comfort him.

"How could you do this to me Viktor?" the hurt wizard demanded, jerking his leg away from the reach of his boyfriend.

"Vot do you mean?" Viktor asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I mean this!" Neville said harshly, shoving the Rita Skeeter article towards Viktor.

Neville waited for a few minutes as Viktor read the damming article; his eyes never left his partner's face to see what kind of reaction he got.

"Lies, it is all lies Neville," Viktor protested, pushing away the paper.

Neville searched Viktor's eyes, hoping to see some sign that he was telling the truth, but all he saw was a man who was ashamed of him and their relationship.

"I don't know if I can believe that," Neville sighed.

"Ve are meant to be together Neville. It is you that I vont. You cannot listen to that vuman, and her vile lies," Viktor said fiercely. "Remember all that rubbish she vote during the Twi-Vizard Tournament. 'ow can you think she vud write the truth now?"

Neville lowered his eyes to the ground in shame.

How could he have believed that his boyfriend would cheat on him? And with someone as shallow and fame hungry as Romilda Vane.

Viktor was right, and Rita Skeeter was a proven liar.

There was no contest. He was confident that Viktor was being honest with him, and it would take some pretty damming evidence to convince him otherwise. He would not make the same mistake twice.

"I trust you," Neville finally answered. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"But you were right to," said a sing song voice.

Neville looks at her. Narrows eyes. Out of the corner of his eye the wizard saw a vaguely familiar woman with curly blonde hair enter and head towards the bar.

"No, no," Viktor said with a shake of his head. "I vill not allow you and your lies to infect my relationship."

"I'm not lying though," Romilda claimed with a flutter of her eyelashes. "How else could I know about that snitch shaped birthmark on your fine arse?"

Neville watched as Viktor's eyes darted from side to side, looking anywhere but at him. His cheeks slowly reddened, and Neville blinked back some tears as he realised that every word of the article was true, and he wanted to hear Viktor admit it.

"Yes Viktor, how else would she know Viktor?" Neville asked, raising his voice slightly.

When Neville didn't receive an answer immediately he realised he had to be more forceful. This was not a subject he would drop, and Viktor needed to know that.

"How else would she know?" he demanded again, making no effort to keep his voice quiet.

The entire pub fell silent, and Neville felt as though all eyes in The Three Broomsticks were on the three of them as he waited for his boyfriend to confess.

"It vos a von time thing, but it meant nothing Neville. She meant nothing," Viktor told him with urgency. "Please forgive me?"

Neville stared at Viktor with a blank expression.

If someone had asked him twenty four hours ago whether he could forgive Viktor for anything, Neville would have said absolutely because he was confident that there wasn't anything his boyfriend could do that was unforgivable. But now, after this, Neville wondered whether he had ever really known Viktor at all.

If he was capable of hiding this indiscretion from him for months, then what else was he hiding?

Had he done this before?

And if he had, how many others were there?

Did he just cheat on him with women, or were there other men too?

It was with a heavy heart that Neville had to admit to himself that there was no way he could trust Viktor any longer, let alone forgive him.

"I don't think I can," Neville said, his voice breaking slightly. "You cheated on me, you lied to me, and you've humiliated me. Goodbye Viktor."

He took one last look at Viktor before standing up and making his way towards the door.

"Neville wait. It vos a mistake," he heard Viktor call after him as he reached the door.

The heartbroken man paused briefly and rested his head on his outstretched hand, resisting the urge to turn around and tell Viktor that all was forgiven, but he knew that to do so would leave him open to further emotional pain, and this was something that Neville couldn't do.

Neville took a deep breath and pushed open the door in front of him. The cold air of the bitter December afternoon hit him hard, and sent chills through his body.

As the wizard walked away from The Three Broomsticks, he finally allowed the tears he had been holding back to fall thick and fast. The knowledge that he had done the right thing was little comfort to him.

In that moment all he wanted to do was curl up in his bed and wake up in the morning to discover that all of this heartbreak was just a dream, but that was wishful thinking on Neville's part.

 **A/N:**

 **Let me know your thoughts in a review**

 **All feedback is appreciated**

 **xoxo**


	4. HoM A2- United We Stand, Divided We Fall

**A/N:**

 **Written for Round 8 of QLFC**

 **Mucho love to Ginny and Liza for beta'ing (for once I've remembered to put credits in my A/N)**

 **Subject:** History of Magic

 **Task:** Write a story about the battle between good and evil, or Light and Dark magic.

 **1000 Word Challenge:** Screen

 **Team:** Montrose Magpies

 **Position:** Beater 2 – What would the world be like two years after Voldemort rises to power

 **Prompts:** (Word) Allegiance, (Word) Revolution, (Word) Cruel

 **Word Count:** 1433

* * *

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

Neville cautiously looked over his shoulder as he approached the secret headquarters of The Order of the Phoenix, knowing that in this day and age you couldn't be too careful. There were traitors and spies everywhere, and it was a lesson that had hit close to home very recently for every member of the resistance.

The 'new world' that they lived in was horrendous, and it was one that had spread like wildfire throughout Europe: Muggles were tortured and killed in the streets for fun, witches and wizards wandered around like mindless zombies, Hogwarts had become a breeding ground for Death Eaters, and the NEWTs had replaced with a Death Eater training programme; not to mention the Ministry of Magic had succumbed to further corruption – gone was the Statute of Secrecy, Aurors actively hunted Muggles and Muggle-borns, and hate crimes were actively encouraged.

It was a world that Neville, and the rest of the Order, were fighting against. It was a fight that he was sad to say they were losing, despite the small victories that they managed to achieve.

The wizard withdrew his wand from his cloak, and prepared to cast the charm at the secret tunnel's entrance when he saw the projection screen pop out of nowhere.

Neville knew what this meant.

It had become common practice over the last two years, ever since the rise of You-Know-Who, for the screens to appear for 'Ministry announcements' as well as the public execution of so called traitors, and Muggle-borns.

The adaptation of a Muggle technology had been an unprecedented move on their part, but Neville couldn't deny that it had been effective. It had instilled terror in the wizard population, and made recruiting others to their cause incredibly difficult.

" _Hem—hem. Coming live from the Ministry: the execution of the blood traitor and spy, Narcissa Malfoy," the girlish voice, that was easily identifiable as belonging to Dolores Umbridge, announced._

Neville stared blankly at the screen as they brought up footage of Narcissa on her knees, and her sister towering over her.

" _Narcissa Malfoy, you have been found guilty of working against the Dark Lord. It is a most heinous crime, and the punishment is death. Do you have any last words before you die?"_

Neville watched on as Narcissa raised her head and looked her sister directly in the eye.

The scene was one that he had seen frequently, but it never got any easier. More often than not, especially in the cases of the few pure-blood executions, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or his puppet Minister for Magic, would ensure that it was carried out by a blood relative. In this case it surprised Neville to see that it was Bellatrix carrying out the deed rather than Draco.

" _No," she answered in a confident voice._

" _Very well then," Bellatrix sneered, raising her wand so it was pointing directly at Narcissa's chest. "Avada Kedavra!"_

Narcissa's body slumped to the ground, and Neville felt a pang in his heart. This was his fault. He should never allowed her to place her life at risk; he should have protested more when she had insisted on spying for them, but she had made a very compelling argument, and Narcissa Malfoy was as stubborn and strong-willed as they come.

" _That is all for today. Remember, if you don't want to end up like the traitor, then conform and keep in line. No harm will come to you as long as you obey."_

And with that the large pop up screen vanished from sight.

Neville took a few moments to compose himself before casting the charm and entering the secret tunnel that led to the headquarters.

As he walked through the tunnel, Neville found himself thinking about all the shocking events that had transpired in the last two weeks alone and in particular the betrayal of one of their own. Every member of the resistance suspected everyone else, and no one was sure of anyone's allegiance anymore; it was causing their already fragile group to fight amongst themselves instead of against their common enemy.

This, along with the information that Narcissa had managed to relay to him shortly before her death, was the reason he had called a meeting of the Order.

As Neville approached the hidden room, he heard the sounds of raised voices, and not for the first time he wanted to bang his head against a brick wall.

The divisions within their group were becoming astronomical, and the mistrust between even the closest of friends proved just how much everyone had been shaken to the core by the ultimate betrayal.

One of their own had gone over to the dark side, and in the process had caused their numbers to be decimated, personally killing some of them himself including the man he often referred to as his _'brother from another mother'_.

Enough was enough though, and Neville knew that it was down to him to remind everyone of their common foe and unite them in their mission.

Neville tapped his wand against the door frame and muttered an incantation, before entering the room to find those he considered friends either at each other's throats, or eyeing people with suspicion.

"Sonorous," he said, pointing his wand at his throat.

"That is enough," Neville's voice boomed, immediately gaining everyone's attention.

"I know Seamus' betrayal has hit all of us hard. We don't know why he did what he did, and we may never find out, but we _cannot_ allow this to make us turn on each other, and forget why we are here. If anything, the events of two weeks ago should bring us closer together rather than drive us apart."

Neville took a moment to make eye contact with each and every one of The Order. His eyes rested a moment longer on his former head of house, Professor McGonagall, who had a look of pride on her face as she gave him a small smile.

"Our enemy is gaining more and more power by the day, and my source has reliably informed me that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has turned his attention to North America. He has plans to further infiltrate the White House, as well as gain a foothold in Ilvermorny. It is our job to ensure this doesn't happen, otherwise I fear that all could be lost. My source has also informed me that You-Know-Who intends to carry this out personally, with several of his most trusted lieutenants, and this could be our best chance to take him out. Already, I have two of our most trusted members forming a resistance group there to help us fight. Let us avenge the deaths of our own, and restore the wizarding world to its former glory. Now, who's with me?"

The group of witches and wizards gathered in the room erupted into cheers, and for the first time in weeks Neville felt as though they were united in their mission.

* * *

6 Months Later

" _Hem—Hem! This is a special Ministry announcement."_

The entire wizarding world stopped what they were doing.

" _The rebels and traitors, part of an organisation working against our leader, have been defeated. All surviving members are currently imprisoned and awaiting execution. Today, we are bringing you the execution of their ringleader. Let this serve as a warning to all those with rebellious thoughts. If you act against our leader, you act against us all, and you will be punished in the most severe way regardless of your blood purity."_

The eyes of every witch and wizard all over the world turned to the large pop up screens which showed live footage of Neville Longbottom being guided up onto a raised platform.

They watched on as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself raised his wand and pointed it directly at the young leader of the resistance.

As he uttered the words, _"Avada Kedavra,"_ every witch and wizard felt the last beacon of hope disappear.

Neville Longbottom was dead.

The resistance was finished.

There was no one left who was brave enough to stand up and fight against their _benevolent_ leader.

In short, in that moment every witch and wizard realised that it would be futile to consider resisting the new order, and that the only way they would be able to survive was to conform and act in a way that was expected of them.

It was a cruel world they now lived in, but it was one that the wizarding community felt they had no other choice than to accept it, no matter how much they wanted to resist.

The revolution was over before it ever had a chance to truly begin.


	5. Myths A2 - Home For A While - Arabella

**Many thanks to Liza for reading through this first.**

 **Subject:** Myths and Legends

 **Task:** Write about a cruel uncle or aunt.

 **Chocolate Frog:** Bonus - Pius Thicknesse - Challenge - Write about the effects of the imperius curse

 **1000 Word Prompt Challenge:** Spot

 **Gringotts:** Charmed Season 1: Episode 4 – (Word) surprise; Charmed Season 1: Episode 15 – (Location) Basement; Episode 16 – (Word) Three; Emotion: Afraid – Scared; Emotion: Sad - Tearful ; Secret Diary of a Call Girl Season 1: Episode 2 – (Word) Pleasure, (Word) Unsatisfactory, Secret Diary of a Call Girl Season 1: Episode 4 – (Word) Slave; Episode 5 – (Word) Lucky, (Word) Scared

 **Word Count:** 1407

* * *

Home For A While

Arabella clinged to her father's hand as he knocked on the door of her Aunt Evanna's house.

The ten year old girl loathed visiting her mother's sister, who had been treating her worse than something she trod on ever since it became evident that she didn't have a drop of magic in her.

And now with her mother hospitalised in St Mungo's, her father was bringing her to stay at the Rosier house, for the better part of three months.

Arabella still wasn't quite sure why she couldn't stay at home with her father. The only reason he had given to her was that her aunt would be able to take better care of her than he could, but even the young girl knew that was a lie.

He was leaving.

He was leaving, and he didn't want to take her with him.

What she didn't understand was why.

With tears in her eyes, she glanced up at her father, just as the door opened.

Without a word, her father pushed her towards her aunt and then disapparated from sight. Her eyes glassed over as she stared at the spot where her father had been stood a split second ago.

"Well girl, get inside," Evanna hissed. "You're lucky I'm allowing a filthy squib such as yourself anywhere near me let alone inside my house."

Arabella remained where she was staring at the interior of Evanna's three story, seven bedroom house. As always, it was absolutely pristine.

"Get in now before someone sees you," her aunt ordered through gritted teeth. "I cannot have anyone knowing that I am harbouring scum. The only reason I'm allowing you room in my house is because your mother is my sister."

The young girl bowed her head slowly, and picked up her small suitcase before ambling into the house she would be calling her home for the next few months.

"Eww, look who it is," sneered the eldest of her cousins, who she had taken to calling Cruella in her mind. "It's the filthy little squib. Quick girls, let's get away from her before we catch some hideous Muggle disease from her."

Her aunt barked loudly at her daughter's open taunting, and another one of her three cousins quickly joined in with the chorus of laughter. The only one who didn't join in was the youngest of the Rosier sisters who threw her a look a sympathy. It was a small comfort to the ten year old to know that not everyone in the household despised her lack of magical ability, but it wasn't enough to dull the cruel sting of their laughter.

Evanna pushed her on the small of her back making Arabella stumble and fall to her knees.

"You'll be sleeping in there," her aunt informed her, pointing at the door that led to the small, claustrophobic basement. "You'll be sharing with the house-elf too, and therefore I think it only right that you assume some of her duties whilst you're a guest in my home."

"Yes Aunt Evanna," Arabella whispered quietly, climbing back to her feet.

"You can start by cleaning the toilets," Evanna instructed her. "Merlin knows Zipley makes a habit of falling inside them every time she cleans them. It will be a refreshing change not having to stop what I'm doing to pull that thing out, because she's too hopeless to do it herself. Now get to work you disgusting creature before I throw you out of the streets where you belong."

Arabella bowed her head in agreement, and headed towards the miniscule basement she would be forced to call a bedroom. As she descended the unstable, rickety stairs, she wondered if this was the kind of treatment she would have to expect day in and day out whilst under her aunt's roof.

The young girl sighed as she deposited her suitcase in the corner by the pile of blankets, the place she assumed would be her bed for her stay at the Rosier house, before slowly trudging back up the stairs.

"You'll be needing these, Miss," squeaked a cheery looking house-elf, who was holding out a container full of cleaning supplies. "Madam Evanna likes her toilets to gleam and shine; if it is unsatisfactory she will have you do them again."

Arabella nodded her head slowly, and took the box from Zipley.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

As she made her way slowly to the downstairs toilet, Arabella couldn't help but feel as though her stay at the Rosier house would be a long and painful one.

XXXX

For the first week of her stay, Arabella's day consisted of waking up, preparing her aunt and cousins meals, dining on any scraps that were left over, cleaning, washing their clothes, and yet more cleaning when her aunt allowed her cousins to deliberately make extra mess for her.

It was hard work, but it kept her occupied and from thinking of her mother in St Mungo's; it was the only thing that kept her from vocalising how much she hated being little more than a slave.

So it came as a surprise to Arabella when she was summoned into the lounge on the eighth evening of her stay.

The ten year old promptly stopped what she was doing and quickly headed towards her aunt - in her short stay here she had already learnt that if there was one thing Evanna Rosier couldn't stand, it was waiting.

"You called, Aunt Evanna," Arabella whispered, making sure to keep her eyes lowered to the ground.

"Yes, your cousins and I would like some—entertainment," Evanna said in a sinister voice, "and we would like you to provide it."

Arabella felt as though her heart had dropped to the pit of her stomach, and she wondered what her aunt could possibly mean by this.

"Of—of course Aunt Evanna," Arabella reluctantly agreed. "What would you like me to do?"

The glance that her aunt and the eldest two of her cousins exchanged didn't escape Arabella's notice, and the worry that she was feeling increased ten-fold. It also didn't escape her notice that the youngest of the Rosier sisters was absent, and that increased the dread she was feeling substantially as Arabella always felt somewhat safer whenever she was around.

"We want you to dance, dance like a chicken," shrieked Cruella, at the same time her aunt cried, "Imperio."

Arabella quickly found that she had no control over her limbs any longer, and as her arms and legs began to move as her aunt willed them to, she realised that she nothing more than her puppet on a string and no longer had any free will.

She began to dance around the room, squawking like a chicken, whilst her 'family' burst into fits of laughter at her expense.

"Arabella," her aunt taunted after a few minutes, "walk upstairs to the guest bedroom."

Unable to resist, Arabella followed the strong will of her aunt and walked up the elegant staircase, closely pursued by Evanna and Druella.

Like a zombie, she pushed open the door, and headed towards the window. She flung it wide open, and as per her aunt's will she grasped hold of either end of the window frame and leant out.

"Jump, Arabella, jump," squealed the excited voice of her cousin. "Or would you like a little nudge in the right direction?"

She held herself in that position, and daylight faded into night time before her aunt finally released her iron clad grip on her mind and body.

"How did I get here?" Arabella cried, as she struggled to keep her balance on the window ledge. "Someone help me please."

Tears leaked from the scared child's eyes, her arms and legs quaked with fear as she tried to figure out how she could get back into the safety of the house.

Evanna Rosier stood there and laughed at her for a few moments, and then flicked her wand, sending the fragile girl flying against the wall, before sweeping out of the room, closely followed by her eldest daughter.

Arabella curled up into a ball and cried.

She cried for her mother who was too ill to care for her.

She cried for her father who had abandoned her without a second thought.

And she cried for her free will which she only now realised could be taken from her without a second thought by her Aunt Evanna for own vindictive pleasure.

 **A/N:**

 **Let me know your thoughts in a review**

 **All feedback is appreciated**

 **xoxo**


	6. DADA A2 Task 1- The Guest List- Narcissa

**Subject:** Defence Against the Dark Arts

 **Task:** Write about a minor issue in a relationship.

 **Square:** Malfoy Manor

 **Prompt:** (Pairing) Lucius/Narcissa

 **Word Count:** 651

* * *

The Guest List

"For the last time Narcissa, I do not want your crazy sister at our wedding," Lucius yelled at his bride to be. "Have you completely forgotten about the spectacle she made at our engagement party?"

Narcissa sighed. This had become a recurring argument between the two of them over the last couple months.

Every time she broached the subject of inviting Bellatrix to their up and coming wedding, Lucius refused to listen to her side and it was driving her up the wall. It was her wedding just as much as it was his, and she wanted all of family around her. It was already bad enough that she couldn't invite Andromeda because she had run off with some Mudblood and brought shame upon The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black.

"No Lucius, I haven't forgotten about it," Narcissa answered, recalling how Bellatrix had hexed Lucius' cousin, Brutus, for making an offhand comment about her hair. "But that's not the point; she said she was sorry, which for Bella is a pretty big deal."

"Ha," Lucius barked, "that wasn't an apology. You imperiused her and forced the words out of her mouth. It doesn't count."

Narcissa recognised that Lucius had a point, but she wasn't about to admit it.

"At the end of the day Lucius, she is _my_ sister and I want her there," Narcissa reasoned. "How would you feel if I turned around and told you that your cousin couldn't come to the wedding because he has no filter?"

"Oh Cissy, stop being so petty and ridiculous," Lucius exclaimed. "You're not going to disinvite Brutus, and Bellatrix is still not coming to our wedding—she's too volatile."

"What if I made her promise to be on her best behaviour?" Narcissa asked.

"I'd like to see you try and control Bellatrix Black. She is a law unto herself," Lucius told her. "The Dark Lord is the only one who can reign her in, and ever he has trouble sometimes."

"So you're saying if I want my sister at our wedding, I have to invite him too?" Narcissa asked, feeling appalled at the very thought of exchanging vows in front of a man who could kill anyone there without batting an eyelid.

"No, of course not, he's much too busy with his plans to attend our wedding," Lucius informed her. "However you cannot deny it would be a very high honour if he did. Perhaps I will ask him at the next gathering, if he is a good mood."

Narcissa could sense that they were getting nowhere with this argument, but she viewed this as her best opportunity to get Lucius to agree to her wishes, especially since 'The Dark Lord' was the last person she wanted attending her wedding.

She hated to admit it but the man terrified the living daylights out of her.

"If you ask him to our wedding, then regardless of whether he says yes or no, I will be inviting Bellatrix," Narcissa informed him.

"Very well, but if she pulls any stunts at our wedding, I am holding you responsible," Lucius told her sternly.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at Lucius. "Fine," she agreed, "so long as you ensure Brutus holds his tongue around Bellatrix, because if he winds her up, I cannot and will not be held accountable for her actions."

The witch watched as Lucius pondered her words before he nodded his head in agreement.

"Then it's settled, Lucius; Bellatrix can come to the wedding?" Narcissa asked, wanting a verbal acknowledgement of her terms.

"Yes," Lucius said through gritted teeth. "She is permitted to attend the wedding."

"Excellent," Narcissa smiled, kissing her betrothed on the cheek. "Now where are with the flower arrangements?"

And just like that, the minor blip in their relationship was forgotten as they moved forward with their wedding plans, and Narcissa was proud of the small victory she had won.


	7. Astronomy A2 - Encounter - Luna

**Subject:** Astronomy

 **Task:** Write about someone being pretty, but has a terrible personality.

 **Prompt:** (Object) Nail file, (Character) Ginny Weasley

 **Chocolate Frog:** Gold - Doxy - Challenge - Write about someone who is much worse than they appear to be

 **Pokemon Card:** Bronze – Torchic – Prompt – (Plot/Action) Giving/receiving a 'warm hug'.

 **1000 Word Challenge:** Train

 **Gringotts:** Galavant S1E1 – (Dialogue) "I hope we can be friends."; Galavant S1E2– (Word) Hug, (Emotion/Trait) Cruel; Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog – (Word) Anyway; Black Butler S1E1 – (Expression) Smirking, (Action) A door closing; Charmed S1E16 – (Colour) Pink; Jane Eyre – (Personality Type) Narrow minded, (Emotion) Sadness, (Event) A new friend

 **Word Count:** 777

* * *

Encounter

Luna Lovegood dragged her heavy trunk down the corridor of The Hogwarts Express as she searched for a compartment that wasn't already full, but so far she wasn't having very much luck.

Anyone who was in a compartment that wasn't already fit to bursting had politely informed her that they were waiting for others, or had been much older than her.

Luna didn't mind but her arm was really starting to ache, and she was hoping to find a seat before the train departed Platform 9 and ¾'s so that she could wave farewell to her father.

She wafted her arm in front of her face clearing away the nargles in her path as she made her way into the next carriage of the train.

As she made her way past the first compartment, Luna felt as though her luck was changing. Inside sat two friendly looking and cheerful girls, who looked as though they were about the same age as her.

One of them had perfectly styled, wild bushy brown hair, and was holding a book in her hand, whilst the other girl had jet black hair and was filing her nails with a pink nail file.

Both girls had classical good looks, and were prettier than anyone else that Luna had ever seen before in her life, and she was positive that they would be as welcoming as they were pretty.

Luna pushed the glasses on her face up onto the top of her head and rapped on the compartment door.

The two girls glanced up at her and then went back to what they were doing.

She was unsure of what this action meant, but Luna figured that it must mean they wouldn't mind if she joined them and slid the door open.

"Hello," she greeted them brightly, "my name is Luna Lovegood. What are your names?"

The two girls giggled quietly as they continued their respective activities.

"Do you hear something?" the brunette said, looking towards her friend.

"Nope, nothing at all," she laughed in response.

Luna felt her face flush, and cleared her throat.

"I said my name is Luna Lovegood. I was wondering if I could join the two of you," she said, looking at the girls hopefully. "There's no room anywhere else. I wouldn't be too much trouble; I have a copy of the Quibbler in my bag if you don't want to talk, but I hope we can be friends. You both seem really nice. What are your names?"

Both of the girls sighed heavily in unison.

"And what concern of yours would that be, Loony was it?" the brunette asked, snapping her book closed.

"Good one, 'Mione," the other girl laughed. "Why would we want _you_ to join us anyway? I mean look at you with your dorky glasses, and dull, dirty blonde hair."

"Ha, not to mention your clothes," snorted Hermione, smirking at her friend. "Where did you get them from? The Oxfam store. Honestly, they look like they should have been thrown in the garbage decades ago."

Luna looked down, and tugged at the hem of the shirt that had once belonged to her mother. Was it really that bad? Surely these girls wouldn't lie to her about something like this, would they?

She raised her hand and swept away the tears that were forming in her eyes. Even though she was certain that they wouldn't intentionally upset her, it didn't make the words hurt any less.

"Aww, look at her face Pansy, I think Loony Tunes is going to cry," snickered Hermione.

Luna felt her mouth go dry as she tried to form a response to these hurtful comments, but she was coming up blank.

"Oi, you two, lay off her," said a fierce voice from behind her. "You might want to take a look at the state of yourselves before you go around making fun of others. Yes you might have the flawless skin, shiny hair, and all that superficial stuff, but inside you are as ugly as they come."

Luna turned around to look at her saviour. She was a redhead with freckles dotted around her face, and she wore a look of fury on her face.

"Come with me, Luna, was it," the kind girl said to her, "there's room in my carriage."

"Thank you," Luna smiled, sliding the door closed. "Who are you anyway?"

"My name is Ginny Weasley, your new friend," she answered, giving her a warm hug before moving to pick up the other end of Luna's trunk and helping her carry it.

"I like the sound of that," Luna answered. "I like the sound of that a lot."


	8. Myths A3 - The Summoning - Tom Riddle

**Subject:** Myths and Legends

 **Task:** Write a story featuring either a cult (Satanic or otherwise) or a (potential) UFO sighting.

 **Event:** Gymnastics – Vault 1

 **Prompt:** Write about some sort of ritual. (Not a wedding)

 **Chocolate Frog:** Bonus - Rufus Scrimgeour - Challenge - Write about a murder committed for the Greater Good

 **Gringotts:** CSI: S1E1 – (Action) Walking, (Colour) Black; CSI: S1E2 – (Colour) Red; NCIS: S1E1 – (Object) A body, (Action) Smiling, (Action) Collapsing; Code Breaker: S1E1 – (Object) A book, (Action) Cheering; Dark Matter: S1E1 – (Action) Kicking someone, (Dialogue) "Who are you?"; Hunchback of Notre Dame – (Word) Master, (Word) Stone, (Word) Beautiful, (Plot/Action) Being tied up; Bambi – (Colour) Red, (Word) Respect, (Plot/Action) A gathering; Black Butler: S1E1 – (Characteristic) Glowing red eyes, (Word) Master, (word) My Lord, (Action) Snapping your fingers; Black Butler: S1E2 – (Atmosphere) Dark, (Emotion) Helpless; Galavant: S1E1 – (Action) Falling down; Galavant: S1E2 – (Colour) Red, (Plot/Action) Being laughed at; Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog – (Plot/Action) Killing someone, (Feeling/Emotion) Evil, (Colour) Red; Charmed: S1E1 – (Action) Reading an incantation from a book; Charmed: S1E4 – (Word) Amulet; Charmed: S1E6 – (Object) Dagger; Charmed: S1E7 – (Action) Chanting; Charmed: S1E9 – (Word) Summon; Charmed: S1E11 – (Word) Snake; Charmed: S1E15 – (Word) Pentagram; Charmed: S1E16 – (Colour) Black; Miranda: S1E1 – (Action) Pushing someone; Secret Diaries of a Call Girl: S1E1 – (Word) Powerful; Secret Diaries of a Call girl: S1E2 – (Word) Pleasure [40]

 **Word Count:** 1598

* * *

The Summoning

Tom Riddle walked into the centre of the chalk circle that had been drawn on the floor; his followers chanted in unison as he ascended the steps towards the sacred altar that was surrounded by black candles.

On the altar rested a book that contained everything that Tom needed to know about the ritual they were about to perform, but he knew he wouldn't need it, he had been researching this for months and knew it like the back of his hand.

"You know why we have gathered here this evening," he said in an ominous voice, lowering the hood of his cloak, and looking at each and every one of his followers. "We are here to worship the great and powerful Leviathan, the Serpent of Old, and prove ourselves to be his loyal servants. We will celebrate him, and summon him back from the underworld to wreak havoc on this earth and the disgusting mortals that walk it."

The circle of followers surrounding Tom cheered as he reached into his cloak and removed a small, jewel encrusted dagger and lifted it high above his head.

"With this dagger, I shall draw blood from your loyal followers; it will give you strength and power," Tom whispered, bringing the dagger back down in front of him. "I ask the supreme powers that be to bless this dagger, and imbue it with the ability to raise our Master from his cage in Hell."

A cool breeze swept around Tom's ankles, blowing his cloak, and he smiled to himself as he felt power surge through his veins.

Tom took the serpent amulet around his neck into his hands and kissed it reverently

"Who will be first to prove their loyalty and dedication to our Master?" Tom mused, as he turned around to collect the sacred bowl.

"I will, My Lord," Barty Crouch said solemnly, bowing his head and taking a few paces towards the centre of the circle.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at the over-confident young man, and grabbed the back of his cloak as he swept past her.

"Oh no you don't," she hissed at him, before ascending the two stone steps that led to the altar and taking her position in front of Tom.

Bellatrix thrust her arm out proudly in front of her, and pulled back the sleeve of her cloak.

Tom smiled to himself at the sight; it pleased him to see her so ready and willing. He knew that it would serve as the perfect example to the rest of the small, but dedicated followers.

"Do you, Bellatrix Black, accept the Devil into your heart?" Tom whispered as he dragged the dagger down her forearm. "Will you do as he commands when he walks this earth again?"

"I will," she muttered, wincing slightly as the dagger broke through her skin.

Tom's eyes lit up as he watched the blood trickle from her fresh wound. He placed the sacred bowl, which bore the markings of the twisted serpent, and turned Bellatrix's arm over so that her blood could drip inside. He pressed his fingertips into her skin to make her crimson river flow quicker from her arm, eager to get as much as he could for the offering.

Once he felt he had enough blood, Tom released Bellatrix's arm from his grasp and allowed her to rejoin the circle, before calling forth the next of his followers - Barty Crouch Jr.

In Tom's view the bloodletting ceremony was going swimmingly as he called forward the final member of the circle.

"Lucius Malfoy."

Tom tapped his foot in irritation as the blonde man slowly walked from his place in the circle to the altar; he didn't miss the glances that Lucius took towards the exit.

"Hold out your arm, and draw up your sleeve," Tom commanded.

"Y-yes My Lord," he answered, shakily doing as he had been instructed.

"Do you, Lucius Malfoy, accept the Devil into your heart?" Tom whispered, dragging the dagger down the length of the shaking man's arm. "Will you do as he commands when he walks this earth again?"

"I will," he responded uncertainly.

Tom dug the dagger deep into Lucius' skin and dragged it forcefully along his forearm. The blonde man cried out loud in pain and agony, weeping as the blood began to trickle from his arm.

"Look at your offering Lucius," Tom instructed.

He watched on as Lucius nodded his head and slowly shifted the focus of his eyes from the wall behind him to the cut on his arm. He observed as Lucius became unsteady on his feet and started to sway from side to side, before collapsing into a heap on the floor.

His onlooking followers laughed and jeered at Lucius.

"Someone get this snivelling, weak excuse for a servant of the serpent out of my sight," Tom seethed, kicking the crumpled form of Lucius Malfoy. "I will not allow a delicate, little girl such as him in the presence of Leviathan, when he comes."

"I will do it My Lord," offered Barty.

"No, I will," Bellatrix said, pushing him to one side.

Tom glared at the two squabbling figures.

"That is enough," he whispered. "Rosier, would you do the honours of bringing forth our gift."

"Yes, My Lord," Rosier answered, bowing his head reverently.

"And you two," Tom said, turning his gaze back towards the fighting servants, "you can get this sorry lump out of here. And when you return I expect you to show our Master the respect he deserves. You are ruining the atmosphere."

Whilst he waited for the sacrifice to be brought forth, Tom added his own blood to the bowl, and began to mix it with his finger, relishing in the knowledge that this would be the blood that would soon flow through the veins of the resurrected Serpent of Old, and that it would be he who had made it happen.

After all, without his blood the ritual would be a failure. Without the blood of a true serpent, the best anyone could hope for would be to not get an infection.

The side door through which his follower had exited moments earlier opened, and through it came a blindfolded, young woman who was swaying from side to side, closely followed by Rosier.

Tom waited at the top of the altar as Rosier guided her towards him.

"She will make the most beautiful sacrifice," he mused to himself, kissing her on the forehead. "Shackle her to the altar."

Rosier nodded his head curtly and followed his order to the letter, before resuming his place in the circle.

Tom stalked towards the altar table which now held their offering.

He used the dagger to cut away her binding clothes, and he took great pleasure in hearing her feeble sobs.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" she whimpered as Tom placed a gag in her mouth.

"Hush now," he muttered to the bound woman. "You have the great honour of giving your life for the greater good of our kind."

He dipped his forefinger into the sacred bowl collecting as much blood as he could before withdrawing in, and beginning to draw the symbol of the serpent – a pentagram with a snake running through the centre of it - on the woman's exposed chest.

His eyes flickered briefly to the book next to him as he double checked the incantation he knew so well.

"With this blood, the blood of the loyal, I mark thee as a gift for our Master," Tom muttered, smearing a circle on her chest. "He will break free from his cage by our sacrifice."

"He will break free from his cage by our sacrifice," chanted the circle.

"I call upon your servants to bless this dagger," Tom called, picking up the dagger in front of him. "It shall transfer her life force unto you, oh Leviathan."

With those words, Tom plunged the dagger deep into the centre of the bound woman's chest.

"Leviathan, I call you forth. As the life drains from our gift may it give you the strength and power to return from your fiery cell, and walk amongst us once again," Tom cried loudly.

"Leviathan, we call you forth," Tom's followers chanted. "May you walk amongst us once again."

A rush of wind swept throughout the room, and the candles surrounding the altar flickered out.

The air surrounding the circle turned cold, and Tom felt a surge of power as the dagger began to vibrate in his hands.

 _This is it,_ he thought to himself. _The time of Leviathan has come again._

Tom twisted the dagger inside the woman and pulled it out.

A cloud of black smoke burst from the ground beneath him and entered Tom's chest. The strength of the smog-like substance sent him buckling to his knees.

"My Lord," whispered Bellatrix and Barty simultaneously, taking a step forward from their position in the circle.

Tom's head snapped up, and unearthly, glowing red eyes met the devoted duos. He clicked his fingers, relighting the black candles that surrounded him.

"Your _Lord_ is not here anymore," a hypnotising voice said. "I am your Master, Leviathan, and together we shall wreak havoc on this earth. We will make these ghastly mortals pay for sending me to the underworld. Together, under my rule, we shall bring the world to it's knees."

The cloaked men and women in the circle cheered as they felt the power of Leviathan's words touch their souls.

"Go forth my loyal followers, and spread the good news," he commanded, "the dawn of Leviathan has begun."


	9. AncientRunesA3Task1-Can't Do This Alone

**Subject:** Ancient Runes

 **Task:** Write about a twist of events that turn a situation upside down.

 **Event:** Rowing: Quadruple Sculls

 **Prompt:** A Birth

 **1000 Word Challenge:** Purchase

 **Word Count:** 637

* * *

Can't Do This Alone

Draco and Astoria ambled down the quiet Muggle street, making their way towards the shopping centre to purchase some last minute baby items.

Suddenly, his wife grabbed his arm and stopped him dead in his tracks.

"What's wrong, darling?" he asked, turning to face his wife of three years.

"I—I think the baby's coming, Draco," Astoria gasped, taking a sharp intake of breath as she felt a twinge in her lower abdomen.

Draco felt the air leave his lungs.

His baby was coming - now, and he didn't feel ready. He wasn't ready for the responsibility of being a father.

His mind began to race with all the things that needed to be done before the baby arrived. Had he done everything on the list, or was there something left to do?

Was the nursery completed and fully furnished?

Did they have—

"Draco, now is not the time to start over-thinking everything," Astoria snapped. "I need to get to a hospital. You know the place that has the nice pain relief potions."

"Yes, yes, of course, darling," he rushed out. "Which way is it to the hospital? Should I carry you?"

"No, you idiot," Astoria laughed, slapping him on the shoulder. "Apparate there."

"Oh, yes, of course, apparate," Draco said, feeling like a moron as he felt around for his wand in his robes.

Draco took hold of his wife's hand and twisted on the spot, trying not to panic at the thought that in just a few short hours he would be holding his son in his arms.

~o~o~o~

Draco paced outside the room. The Healers had sent him from the room over an hour ago when it had become apparent that all was not going to plan with the birth.

They hadn't told him why, all they had said to him was, _"Mr. Malfoy, it would be best if you stepped outside for a moment."_

He banged his fist against the wall in frustration.

What was going on in the delivery room?

What was so bad that they had to ask him to leave?

This was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life, and it was being plagued by worry for the safety of his wife and son.

Draco collapsed into one of the chairs and threw his head into his hands. _Please let them be okay,_ he thought to himself.

"Mr. Malfoy," said a Healer, quietly announcing her presence, and Draco jumped to his feet.

"What is it? Is my wife okay? My son?"

Draco noticed how the Healer's eyes flickered to the ground. Something bad had happened. He could tell.

"I'm so very sorry Mr. Malfoy, your wife—"

"No, no, please, no," Draco sobbed. "I can't do this without her."

Draco leant against the wall and slid down it, letting out a cry of anguish.

"What about my son? Is he healthy?" he asked.

"Yes and I think he would like to meet his daddy." The Healer smiled sadly at him. "I am so very sorry for your loss Mr. Malfoy. Would you like to come through and meet your son?"

Draco stood up and dried his eyes.

"Yes," he choked out, "I think I would."

The bereaved man followed the Healer back through the double doors that led to the delivery suite.

His eyes tracked over towards the bed where his wife lay. She looked so peaceful, almost as if she was sleeping.

"I'll be brave for him, my love," he whispered as the Healer handed him his son. "I promise."

This may not have been how Draco had foreseen the day to go when he brought his wife to the hospital, but now that the worst thing imaginable had happened he knew that he had to be the strongest version of himself - for his son.


	10. Music History A3 - Rags to Riches - Theo

**Written and posted separately for Round 9 of QL**

 **Subject:** Music History Option One

 **Prompt:** Vivaldi - The Four Seasons

 **Event:** Vault 2

 **Prompt:** Write a Medieval AU

 **Chocolate Frog:** Bronze - Theodore Nott - Challenge - Write about Theodore Nott

 **Gringotts:** Bambi – (Location) Meadow, (Location) Forest, (Location) River, (Character) Mother, (Character) Hunter, (Character) Twins, (Animal/Creature) Deer, (Animal/Creature) Rabbit, (Sound) Gunshot, (Sound) Giggling, (Word) Congratulations, (Word) Flower, (Word) Danger, (Word) Log, (Word) Puddle, (Plot/Action) Mother dying, (Plot/Action) Making Friends, (Plot/Action) Learning to walk, (Plot/Action) A gathering, (Plot/Action) Being unsteady on your feet, (Plot/Action) Getting caught in branches, (Plot/Action) Being hunted, (Plot/Action) Reunited, (Plot/Action) Bumping into a childhood friend and falling in love, (Plot/Action) Getting shot, (Plot/Action) Mother's Death, (Dialogue) "Kind wobbly, isn't he?"; Galavant: S1E1 – (Era) Medieval, (Plot/Action) Falling down, (Animal) Horse, (Word) Love, (Word) Rare, (Item) Carriage; Galavant S1E2 – (Location) Forest, (Word) Relationship, (Word) Hug, (Word) Journey, (Plot/Action) Travelling; Charmed: S1E6 – (Word) Estate; Charmed: S1E7 – (Word) Fire; Charmed S1E9 – (Object) Gun; Charmed S1E12 – (Action) Attacking someone in the woods, (Word) Fire; Charmed: S1E14 – (Action) Holding someone at gun point; Charmed: S1E19 – (Scenario) Being followed, (Action) Taking a child, (Word) Eye, (Emotion) Scared; Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog – (Plot/Action) Killing someone, (Animal) Horse, (Word) Whatever, (Word) Light; Jane Eyre – (OC Name) Miss Maria Temple, (Skill) Teacher, (Event) Death of a beloved relative, (Emotion) Sadness; S1E1: Black Butler – (Emotion) Scared, (Action) Running away from something, (Action) Chuckling, (Object) Carriage; S1E2: Black Butler – (Object) Gun, (Emotion) Terror, (Emotion) Helpless, (Emotion) Confused, (Emotion) Disbelief, (Emotion) Shocked, (Scenario) Being chased, (Action) Running, (Action) Pointing a gun at someone, (Action) Backing away from something; The Rescuers – (Word) Help, (Word) Promised, (Plot/Action) Praying, (Plot/Action) Searching for a missing child, (Plot/Action) Kiss on the cheek, (Plot/Action) Crying; AU - Medieval [76]

 **Word Count:** 2991

* * *

Rags to Riches

Theodore Nott stood on the raised platform next to his father, Lord Cantankerus, awaiting the arrival of the woman who was to be his future bride, thinking back on how he had come to be here.

If anyone had asked him as a child where he would see himself at the age of eighteen, this situation would never have entered his mind. In fact, until he turned eight, he never would have expected to know his father at all.

~o~o~o~

As a young child he had been raised on the estate belonging to Lord and Lady Granger. His mother worked in the kitchens there as a cook, a job which she had held there since shortly after his birth and had been most fortunate to land, given her status.

He could remember, clear as day, the first time he encountered the Grangers' daughter, Lady Hermione.

~o~o~o~

He had been just shy of his second birthday and was only just learning how to walk.

"He's kind of wobbly, isn't he?" someone said, giggling.

Theo looked up from his position on the floor and saw her. The little girl who stood in front of him was a little bit taller than he was. She had a round face with rosy cheeks and dimples and she had the brightest smile on her face. Her big brown doe-like eyes sparkled with glee and her equally brown hair was styled perfectly into ringlets that framed her face. Theo thought that she was almost as pretty as his mum.

"Indeed he is, Mistress Hermione," the young woman next to her answered, "but you have to understand that he is only just learning to walk."

"Then we should help him," the little girl decided, steadily walking over to him. "Come on, get up."

The little girl offered him her hand and Theo looked from the hand to her face and back again, before casting a glance over at the young woman who had accompanied Lady Hermione, who gave him a subtle nod.

Theo placed his tiny hand in her equally small one and allowed her to pull him to his feet, causing her to tumble backwards.

"Mistress Hermione," the woman gasped, rushing over to the little girl's side.

"I'm okay, Miss Maria," Hermione whispered, climbing to her feet and giving Theo a charming smile. "I just wanted to help the young master see that we all fall down sometimes."

Theo returned Lady Hermione's smile and from that day on he felt as if he had found his first friend.

~o~o~o~

He didn't see Lady Hermione up close again until he turned five years old and his mother took him to a part of the manor that he had never seen before, the solar. It was here that he was informed that Miss Maria Temple, governess to Lady Hermione, would fulfil the role of his teacher as well, something that he was reliably informed was a great honour.

By all accounts, Lord and Lady Granger were very good to him indeed and actively encouraged a friendship between him and their daughter. Until that moment in his life he hadn't realised that some Lords and Ladies allowed their children to mix with the lower born children, however Theo would come to learn, the hard way, that this was an unnatural occurrence amongst the high born in society.

~o~o~o~

Theo never questioned the fact that he never had a father until one day, after one of their lessons with Mistress Maria, Hermione asked him where he was. It was a question that got his mind churning; eventually he couldn't take not knowing any longer.

"Mum, why don't I have a daddy like Lady Hermione?" he asked as they walked through the extensive grounds belonging to the Grangers.

"Theo, let's go and sit down," she suggested, guiding him towards one of the trees.

They ambled towards the tree in silence and the little boy wondered what his mother would tell him. He was eagerly anticipating getting answers to the many questions that he had had about his father for the last few days.

His mother opened her mouth several times as she unsuccessfully attempted to get the words out.

"Theo, your father and I didn't have what you would call a conventional relationship," his mum told him.

"What does that mean?" he asked

"It means that we were never married. We were together for a short while, and we had every intention of getting wed, but it wasn't meant to be." His mother paused for a moment, and swiped a tear from her eye. "Your father and I parted ways, never to see each other again. I didn't find out I was expecting you until a few weeks later. I never had a chance to tell him."

Theo looked up at his mother and could sense that there was something she was holding back, but decided not to question it. He had some of the answers he wanted.

He had a father, a father who didn't know about him, which in Theo's view was a lot better than discovering he had a father who didn't want him.

The little boy jumped into his mother's arms and gave her hug.

"I love you, mum," he whispered into her hair.

"I love you too, my beautiful boy," she answered, kissing him on the cheek.

~o~o~o~

And then, one day, Theodore's life changed forever and set his life on a course that he could never have imagined in his wildest dreams.

It had been one of his mother's rare days off and to celebrate his recent birthday she had taken him to a meadow that was located a short distance from the Granger's estate, in the middle of a forest. It was a place that she took him as often as possible, but had always told him he mustn't go to on his own.

"Oh, Theo, isn't it beautiful," his mother sighed as they entered the large

meadow full of every species of flower Theo could imagine. "It's so light and open."

"Indeed it is, mother," he answered, removing his hand from hers and venturing off to explore as he so often did. "Look, arabbit, oh—and is that a deer over there?"

"Oh, why yes it is, Theodore, well done," she laughed as she began unpack the picnic.

Her demeanour changed as suddenly as the weather on a day in April.

She abruptly stopped laughing and her eyes darkened as she beckoned him back to her.

"Theo, I want you to do something for me," she rushed out.

"Anything mum."

"I want you to run; I want you to run and keep running until you reach the house and, whatever you do, don't look back."

"Why?" Theo asked, feeling completely confused.

"There's no time for that now. Just do as I say," she implored.

"Okay," he answered, nodding his head.

"Go! Now!" she instructed him, turning Theo around and giving him a gentle push on the back.

Theo stumbled a little as he broke into a gentle run towards the forest entrance. He wasn't more than a few paces into the forest when he heard the gunshot.

The eight year old whirled around on the spot to see his mother backing away from a man who was pointing a rifle directly at her chest.

He bit on his trembling bottom lip as the man exchanged inaudible words with his mother before pulling the trigger.

It felt as though everything was happening in slow motion for Theo. The bullet escaped its captor and travelled through the air, hitting his mother square in the chest.

"Mum," he whispered quietly as she fell slowly to the ground and tears streaked down his cheeks.

He watched as the man kicked his mother's lifeless body and a loud sob erupted from him. The man's head snapped up and looked directly at him; a sneer sneaking onto his face as he stalked towards him.

Instinctively, the little boy turned on his heel and started to run faster than he had ever ran in his life.

He tore through through the forest, running through a dirty puddle that splashed up and stained his new pure white trousers; the sleeves of his thin jumper got caught on twigs, loosening the stitching and tearing threads from it.

The clothes he was wearing were effectively ruined but Theo couldn't find it within himself to care, he knew he was in danger and had to get away from it.

Theo stumbled over a log and fell to the ground, cutting his hands on sharp thorns and gravel as he used them to break his fall. He picked himself straight back up and cast a wary glance over his shoulder as he heard the footsteps of the murderer grow louder.

He continued to run and finally found himself in a place he vaguely recognised. He remembered playing here last Spring and hiding from his mother in a bush by the river. It had taken her quite a while to find him and Theo figured that it was the best hiding place he could hope to discover.

He pushed the branch that hung low over the small entrance to the bush and climbed inside.

Theo had only been there a few minutes when he heard the loud footsteps approach.

"Find the boy," he heard a voice say from his hiding place, "and whatever you do, don't harm him. Lord Cantankerus wishes his son to be unharmed. His orders were clear: do what we must to the mother, even if it means killing her, but keep the boy safe."

Theo slowly shuffled further backwards and deeper into the large bush trying his best to make no sound at all and hold back the shrieks and cries of pain that wanted to burst out of him.

He pulled his legs close to his chest as he began to rock back and forth. He knew that he was facing some form of danger—how could he not, when his mother had been murdered by the very same men who now seemed to be hunting for him?

Theo felt his nose start to tickle.

 _No, not now,_ he thought to himself as he let out an almighty sneeze.

"What was that?" he heard the voice say.

"What do you mean?" a gruffer voice said in response

"I heard a noise from over there. Rosier, go and check it out."

"Yes Sir," the man, who Theo suspected must be named Rosier, answered.

Theo cowered further back in his hiding place, pulling at the twigs of the bushes hoping to shield himself from view.

He closed his eyes tightly and sent a silent prayer up to the gentle and kind God his mother always told him about.

And then two arms roughly grabbed his legs, dragging him from his hiding place.

"Get off me," he sobbed quietly, kicking his legs. "Please, leave me alone. I won't tell anyone what I saw. I promise."

"Quiet boy, we aren't going to hurt you," the man from earlier whispered, pulling him to his feet. "We've come to take you home to your father."

~o~o~o~

The journey to Nott Manor took two days by horse and carriage. Whenever Theo got a glance at his surroundings, all he could see were fields that stretched out for miles ahead of him.

He had no idea what would await him when he finally met the man these men claimed to be his father, but whatever it was he was sure it could be nothing good.

How could it be when his father's men had killed his mother?

~o~o~o~

Theodore quickly learnt that Lord Cantankerus was the opposite of Lord and Lady Granger in every way possible.

Where they had been attentive parents to Lady Hermione and had taken a keen interest in how her studies were coming along, the man he now had to call father was never around and only appeared to care about how well he could fire a gun. However, whenever his father got an update, he always seemed to be disappointed.

~o~o~o~

Yes, if anyone had asked him as a child if he thought he would end up here, he would have told them they must have had a bump to the head.

And now he was about to be introduced to the woman he would marry, whether he liked it or not. Theo knew hardly anything about who she was, only that she was the daughter of a high powered Lord, and reportedly the fairest maiden in all the land.

"Presenting, Lord and Lady Granger, and their daughter, Lady Hermione," one of his father's men announced.

Granger?

Lady Hermione?

 _It cannot be,_ Theo thought to himself as the double doors were thrown open and in walked the familiar, albeit older, figures of three people he had missed a lot when he moved to Nott Manor.

"Son," his father said, drawing Theo from his thoughts, "I'd like you to meet your future bride, the lovely Lady Hermione Granger."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Hermione," Theo said, extending his hand towards the beautiful young woman stood in front of him.

Lady Hermione smiled up and him knowing look, and took his outstretched hand.

"It's delightful to meet you too," she answered.

Theo bent down on one knee and kissed the hand he held.

"Well now that acquaintances have been made, shall we finalise the dowry and start making plans for the handfasting whilst the young couple get to know each other better?" Lord Cantankerous suggested.

Lord and Lady Granger nodded in agreement, and left Theo alone for the first time with his new bride-to-be.

"Theo, I cannot believe you are here," Lady Hermione exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "I thought for sure something bad had happened to you, especially after—"

Hermione stopped talking and glanced up at Theo with a look of worry in her eyes.

"After my mother passed away," Theo finished. "Don't worry, I know what happened. Some of my father's acquaintances brought me here almost immediately afterwards. I wish I could have said goodbye, but they wouldn't let me."

Theo lowered his eyes to the ground, not wanting to let Hermione see how upset he was.

"It's alright," she said softly, placing her hand on his shoulder. "We have all the time in the world now."

"Indeed we do," Theo answered, offering her a smile.

~o~o~o~

The weeks flew by and soon the day of Theo and Hermione's engagement party arrived. It was to be a grand affair; every Lord and Lady for miles had been invited and no expense had been spared on decor, food and entertainment.

As the guests arrived, Theo and Hermione shook hands with each and every one of them as they offered their congratulations; with smiles planted on their faces.

"Is your face as sore as mine from all this smiling?" Theo asked after the latest guests to arrive left.

"Probably," Hermione laughed. "How many more guests do you think our parents invited?"

"Heaven knows," Theo answered, "by the looks of it though, they've invited every man and his horse."

~o~o~o~

After they had greeted all the guests, Theo felt as though the evening began to progress at a much quicker pace.

First, their parents welcomed everyone to the handfasting and said a few words about how pleased they were about the up and coming union between the pair.

This was swiftly followed by the pair of them making their declarations before all the guests and formally accepting each other as their future spouse.

After the ceremony the food was served and Theo had to admit that it had been money well spent. It was the best roe deer that he had ever tasted in his eighteen years on the earth.

Soon afterwards, he and Hermione had taken to the dance floor and became lost in one another, and the rhythm of music. Theo felt as though they were the only two people in the vast ballroom.

As they danced, the servants made their way around the room either offering to refill their guests wine, or carrying a platter of hors-d'oeuvres

"My Lady, would you like to go outside for some fresh air?" Theo asked as the latest waltz came to end.

"That sounds most agreeable, My Lord," Hermione responded, linking her arm around his.

As soon as they were outside, Theo began to guide Hermione towards his favourite spot on the vast estate.

"I'm so happy you're going to be my wife," Theo whispered when they reached the lake.

"I am as well, Theo," Hermione sighed. "Who would've thought that we would end up together, after all those years apart?"

"Indeed," Theo agreed, wrapping his arms around his bride-to-be.

As Theo watched the water gently ripple, he recalled something that his mother had once said to him: "If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it." And as he looked out to the distance, he could safely say that he finally understood what she had meant—Theo was the happiest he had ever been and he couldn't imagine the smile he was currently wearing leave his face.

~o~o~o~

As it turned out, Theo was correct. He smiled every day for the rest of his life, but never as much or as broad as on the day that he first laid eyes on his twin daughters.

He vowed to himself that he would love them with every fibre of his being and that he would always be there for them. In short, he promised them that he would be the polar opposite of his own father, who had always been an absent figure, even when Theo had been living with him.

And when his daughters were old enough to understand what they meant, he repeated the same words to them that his mother had once told him:

"If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it."


	11. MusicHistoryA3-Unwanted Attentions-Draco

**Subject:** Music History

 **Task:** Write about a very uptight character

 **Event:** Rowing

 **Prompt:** Last Day

 **Chocolate Frog:** Gold – Mountain Troll – Prompts – Stupid, Club

 **Gringotts:** Alice In Wonderland – (Colour) Red, (Number) Two, (Number) Three, (Item) A key, (Word) Time; Big Bang Theory S1E1 – (Word) Naked, (Word) Lady; Charmed S1E3 – (Word) Key; Charmed S1E16 – (Word) Three, (Colour) Blue; The Rescuers – (Colour) Red; CSI: NY S1E1 – (Word) Sir; CSI: NY S1E2 – (Colour) Red; NCIS S1E1 – (Setting) A bar; Hunchback of Nortre Dame – (Word) Stop, (Word) Beautiful; Galavant S1E1 – (Word) Please, Sparkly; Galavant S1E2 – (Colour) Royal Blue; Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog – (Word) Slipping

 **Word Count:** 835

* * *

Unwanted Attentions

Draco reluctantly allowed Blaise to place the obtrusive blindfold over his eyes grumbling internally about stupid, stag party traditions.

It wasn't something that he had ever wanted to partake in but, as his best man, Blaise had taken it upon himself to disregard what his opinions. The best Draco could hope for was that Blaise wouldn't go too far with his 'traditions'.

Unfortunately for Draco, that was not going to be the case as he soon found out when Blaise whipped off his blindfold and pushed him on the shoulder so that he was seated in a red, velvet chair.

As Draco allowed his eyes to adjust to the bright neon lights, he felt someone trail their arm across the back of his neck and froze.

"Blaise, where in the name of God have you brought me?" he hissed out of the corner of his mouth. "And just why is someone touching me?"

"Relax," Blaise said boisterously, "and enjoy the delights that Phoenix here will bring you."

Blaise beckoned the person whose hand was still touching his neck to come round.

Draco felt as though his eyes would pop out of his head as a beautiful woman sashayed in front of him. She was wearing a royal blue bra covered in miniscule, sparkly diamantes, and a matching pair of underwear.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat trying with all his might to look anywhere except in front of him.

"Here's fifty pounds," Blaise said, tucking a crisp note into the scantily clad woman's bra. "Give my boy a show he'll never forget."

Draco shot a scowl towards the man who was supposed to be his best friend.

"Don't look at me like that, Draco, it's your last day as a single man," Blaise told him, "so loosen up and enjoy Phoenix as well as all the delights she has to offer you."

"And if I don't want to?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at his best man.

"You don't have a choice mate," he answered, slyly slipping a pair of metal handcuffs around his wrists and snapping them shut. "You'll thank me for this later."

Blaise winked at him before heading off towards the bar at the far end of the room, leaving him alone with the half naked lady.

Draco pulled at his shackles as the woman began to sway in time with the music.

He didn't want to be here, and he didn't want to be looking at a woman who was not his wife-to-be. He felt as though he would be betraying the love of his life if he watched her—Phoenix—dance. It was wholly inappropriate.

The woman twirled on the spot so that her back was facing him, and Draco feebly hoped that this would be the end of his forced torture, however as soon as she began to grind herself against him he realised this was not the case.

 _Will this ever end?_ Draco thought to himself at the same time he was started to have an involuntary reaction to her ministrations.

 _No, no, no, why are you doing that?_ he asked himself. _You love Astoria, why are you reacting like this to that woman. She's nothing special._

"Get away from me," he yelled, unable to take her grinding a second longer. "I'll give you double what my friend paid you if you just stop now."

"Sir, it's nothing to be ashamed of," she whispered seductively as she turned around to face him with big doe-like eyes and climbing onto his lap. "All men react this was to me, even the married ones."

"I refuse to be one of those men, now get off me," he pleaded, leaning back as far as he could to get away from her. "I'll pay you three times as much as my friend gave you. Just please leave me alone."

"Sir, your mouth maybe saying stop, but that's not what your body is telling me," she purred into his ear.

"FOUR!" Draco cried. "Four times as much—that's two hundred pounds for to stop. Please."

Phoenix sighed and climbed off him.

"Fine, you're no fun," she told him. "I'd rather have a customer who can appreciate me anyway."

"Thank you," Draco whispered, breathing a sigh of relief. "Would you be so kind as to get my friend from the bar so I can pay you? And, if you wouldn't mind, could you tell him I enjoyed myself immensely otherwise he'll never release me from these handcuffs?"

Phoenix nodded her head and headed towards the bar, returning moments later with Blaise in tow.

"See mate, I told you that you would love it; this club is the best," Blaise said, slapping him on the back before taking a small key out of his pocket and unlocking the handcuffs. "Now on with the next tradition."

Draco threw his head into his hands, and all he could think was that he hoped this one was more endurable and enjoyable than the one he had just experienced.


	12. Myths A3 Task 1- His Other Half - Draco

**Subject:** Myths and Legends Task 1

 **Task:** Write about a character with an OC twin

 **Event:** Rowing

 **Prompt:** A Big Loss

 **Chocolate Frog:** Gold - Morholt - Challenge - Write about brothers

 **Gringotts:** Sons of Anarchy S1E1 – (Action) Run **;** Alice in Wonderland: Tim Burton – (Plot Device) Memories; NCIS: NY S1E1 – (Action) Smiling, (Action) Crying **;** Sherlock: S1E1 – (Action) Running, (Word) Okay **;** Charmed: S1E4 – (Object) Newspaper **;** Charmed: S1E20 – (Word) Ghost, (Word) Spirit, (Action) Storming out of a room **;** The Rescuers – (Action/Plot) Crying **;** CSI: NY S1E1 – (Feeling) Sadness, (Word) House **;** CSI: NY S1E2 – (Action) Running **;** CSI: NY S1E3 – (Object) Newspaper, (Action) Grinning **;** New Girl S1E2 – (Action) Hugging; Code Breaker S1E1 – (Action) Running **;** Black Butler S1E1 – (Character) Mum and Dad, (Character) a ghost **;** Galavant S1E2 – (Location) Bedroom

 **Word Count:** 886

* * *

His Other Half

Draco turned to look at his twin Scorpius with a broad grin on his face, to find and expression that mirrored his own.

They had both just received their Hogwarts letter after weeks of waiting with baited breath for the inevitable owl to arrive with the joyous news.

"Father look," Scorpius said quietly.

"We got our letters," Draco added.

"Aren't you proud?" Scorpius gave his father a hopeful look.

Lucius glanced up from his paper and gave his sons a look of disdain.

"Getting into Hogwarts was never in doubt. What on earth would I have to be proud of?" he asked, before turning his attention back to The Daily Prophet. "Only Hufflepuffs would ask such a ridiculous question."

Narcissa gave her husband a reproachful look.

"Well, I'm proud my darlings," she said softly, a warm smile on her face. "We shall go shopping for your Hogwarts equipment in the next couple of days."

Narcissa opened her arms; both of her sons jumped up from their chairs and embraced her tightly. She kissed the pair of them on the top of their heads.

"Stop mollycoddling them, Narcissa," Lucius snapped from his chair. "Do you want them to be in Slytherin or not?"

Both Draco and Scorpius didn't miss the glare their mother shot in their father's direction as she released them from her arms.

"Boys, why don't you go and get changed," Narcissa suggested brightly. "Your Auntie Bella will be expecting us soon."

Draco cast a sideways glance at his twin, and he knew instantly that he was thinking the same thing he was.

"Race you to the third floor," Scorpius laughed, breaking free from his mother's arms and rushing towards the door.

Everything was looking peachy for the Malfoy family, until the eve of their trip to Diagon Alley.

~o~o~o~

"Scorpius," Draco yelled, shaking his twin on his shoulder. "Wake up. We're going to Diagon Alley today!"

Scorpius didn't move.

"Scorp," Draco said a little louder, already fearing the worst; their bond, their connection wasn't quite right. "Scorp. SCORP!"

Draco shook his twin vigorously, desperately trying to wake him and refusing to admit what his heart was telling him.

"Stop messing around," he cried, feeling his face start to get a little wet. "Dad's going to go metal if you don't wake up."

Draco collapsed onto his brother, the pain in his heart becoming too much for him to bear.

"Scorp," he whispered, allowing the tears to fall thick and fast as he finally accepted his brother, his twin, and his other half was inexplicably gone from this world.

"Do you remember that time we broke into dad's study?" Draco asked his shell of a brother. "He got so mad at us, and even though it was my idea you told him it was yours, and I selfishly allowed you take the punishment. You always were the better twin. I never deserved you as a brother."

"No, you didn't," a familiar voice whispered from behind him, "but I love you anyway."

 _No, it cannot be… he wouldn't have… surely he couldn't have!_

Draco lifted his head off his twin's body and slowly turned around to face the direction the voice came from.

 _He did! But how?_

"Scorpius?" Draco asked uncertainly, looking between the ghost and the bed. "Is that you?"

 _Please say no. Please let this just be my imagination running wild._

The ghost nodded his head slowly. "I'm sorry."

"No," Draco whispered, feeling any fleeting hope he might have had that his brother was still alive disappear.

Before Draco could say anything more, the bedroom door was flung open and in walked his mother and father.

"What's going on in here?" Narcissa asked, paling almost immediately at the sight of her son's ghostly form. Her eyes flickered over to the bed where her son slept in the vain hope that she was seeing things, and let out a scream of anguish when she saw the unmoving body of Scorpius.

"Be gone from my house," his father boomed at the spirit, casting his eyes in the same direction as his wife's.

"Lucius, he's Scorpius our son," Narcissa whispered, tears flowing thick and fast from her eyes.

"That is no son of mine," Lucius said coldly, pointing at the ghostly form. "Now go before I take care of you myself."

The wizard removed his wand from his robes and pointed it directly at Scorpius.

"Father, no, please," Draco begged, moving to stand between his twin's ghost and Lucius' wand.

"Stand aside, Draco," his father ordered. "Now."

"Draco, do as he asks," Scorpius said softly. "Don't worry, I'm going, fa—Mr. Malfoy."

The surviving twin spun around and looked at Scorpius.

"Please don't—"

"I have to, Draco, but you'll be okay," Scorpius told him with conviction.

Draco watched through bleary eyes as his twin floated away through the brick wall.

"Goodbye," he whispered, before whirling around and pushing past his mother and father. He ran into his bedroom and slammed the door hard behind him.

Draco jumped onto his still unmade bed and broke down into tears.

One thing was certainly clear: they would not be going to Diagon Alley today; shopping for school supplies wasn't important anymore, and it wouldn't be the same for Draco - in fact nothing would feel the same for him again.


	13. Charms A3 - To See You Again

**Subject:** Charms

 **Task:** Write about someone being stopped from getting to their desired destination, or stopped from meeting up with someone.

 **Event:** Floor

 **Tumbling Passes:** (Action) Consuming Drugs - 0.8, (Action) Performing CPR - 0.6, (Action) Finding an animal in front of your door - 0.8, (Action) Being chased by a dog - 0.6; **Leaps and Jumps:** (Dialogue) "I thought you were dead!" - 0.3, (Dialogue) "It feels like the world has let me down. Again." - 0.4, (Dialogue) "Oh, please, shut up. Just this once." - 0.2; **Turns:** (Word) Hope - 0.5, (Word) Idiot - 0.3, (Word) Darkness - 0.3

 **Chocolate Frog:** Bronze - Rosier - Prompts - Need, Damn

 **Word Count:** 1965

 **Warning:** Substance abuse.

* * *

To See You Again

He stood at the counter and handed over the money to the cashier, ignoring the questioning look on her face.

He was glad that she at least had more than enough sense to keep her questions to herself, unlike the woman at the last pharmacy he had gone to. Her incessant probing had driven him crazy.

" _What do you need all these drugs for?"_

" _Are they all for you?"_

" _Did you know that if you take too many painkillers the human body builds up a resistance to them?"_

He had gotten so irritated by her that he had stormed out of there without purchasing a thing, and walked at least a mile to where he was now.

The fairly attractive pharmacist placed all his purchases into a bag and handed it over to him, which he promptly tucked away in the inside of his grey jacket. He didn't miss the look of worry in her eyes.

 _Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm doing,_ he thought to himself as he exited the shop, and started the long walk home.

As he walked down the street, he felt like he was being followed. The young man looked over his shoulder and noticed a huge, black shaggy dog padding along at quite a pace, and it was getting closer by the second.

 _Go away you stupid mutt!_

 _I do not want to exit the world at your hands thank you very much!_

Subconsciously, he started to walk faster and faster until he was running. He knew it was irrational and that the dog probably wouldn't hurt him, but ever since he was a young boy he had afraid of the animal.

 _No, no, no, don't you dare come any closer to me._

He could hear the heavy panting of the dog as it grew closer and closer to him. He knew that there was no chance of him out running the beast.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a familiar flashing neon green light across the road. Realising that this would be his best chance of keeping away from the foul creature that was chasing after him, he dashed across the quiet road and into the pub, shadowed by the dog all the way there.

The man manoeuvred his way through the sea of people at the entrance, briefly finding some small amount of joy in the familiar ambiance of the pub.

The walls were decorated with a green wallpaper covered with leprechauns, shamrocks and pots of gold; he had to admit it was pretty cheesy, but it created the right atmosphere for one of his favourite drinking places

Every man and woman in the pub was holding a pint full of guinness beer, and in the far corner of the bar, there were even a couple of men trying to do a jig in time with the instrumental to ' _C'est La Vie._ ' He made a mental note to keep as far away from them en route to the restroom; he had things to do and the last thing he wanted was to be roped into _dancing_.

All the while he walked through the bar he kept his eyes focussed on his destination; he didn't dare look over his shoulder in case the beast had followed him inside. The last thing he wanted to do on _this day_ was to leave people with the impression that he was weaker and more pathetic than he was sure they already thought he was.

As soon as he was inside the toilets, he slammed the door shut behind him and took a running jump at the window ledge. With great difficulty, and using every ounce of strength he had, he hoisted himself up and managed to move his right leg up to the window, hooking his foot over the window frame.

He took a deep breath before pushing himself up once more, manoeuvring his body so that he was in a horizontal position and after adjusting his grip rolled to the right so that he was dangling from the higher than expected window.

The young man allowed himself to hang there for a few moments before allowing himself to drop to the ground.

From there his journey home was a quiet one, until he was at the bottom of the long and winding path that led to his front door and noticed a rat perched on the step - the same one that had been taunting him day in and day out for the last two weeks.

 _You again!_

 _You're not going to get away from me so easily this time._

He headed straight towards his truck which was still parked in the driveway and grabbed his loaded shotgun from the passenger seat, and aimed it straight at the rodent.

 _That's right,_ he thought to himself, _stay right there and don't move._

He rested his forefinger and middle finger on the trigger, and pulled it towards him.

BANG!

He lowered the shotgun and squinted his eyes slightly. A smile crept onto his face when he saw the unmoving form of the now dead rat.

 _Got you!_

Feeling immensely satisfied with himself, he placed his shotgun back into his truck and made his way into his house, making sure to pick the rodent up and throw into the burgundy waste bin before doing so.

The young man walked straight into the kitchen and filled a large pitcher full of water, and grabbed a glass from the cupboard before settling down in his living room. He took his jacket off and removed the plastic bag full of his drugs. One by one he took the bottles out of the bag and placed them on the table in front of him.

 _Where to start?_

 _Paracetamol?_

 _Aspirin?_

 _My diabetes medication?_

 _Or perhaps something a little stronger?_ he thought, his eyes falling on the bag of cocaine, which still lay unopened on the table from the night before.

He picked up the small bag of white powder and flicked it with his forefinger, before tipping some on to the table and arranging it into a line.

 _May as well start with a bang!_

He lowered his head to the table and pressed his middle finger against the side of his nose. He slowly moved along his line of coke, snorting up the substance as he went and already starting to feel a little better for it.

His eyes moved back to the pill bottles, and he reached out for the nearest one before pouring himself a glass of water. He unscrewed the lid and tipped some of the contents into his hand and tipped them into his mouth.

 _Don't worry my love, we will be together again soon, I promise._

~o~o~o~

Something was wrong.

Neville could feel it in his bones.

He hadn't seen or heard from his friend in days, not since the funeral. He understood that he needed time to grieve, but there was grieving and then there was cutting yourself off completely from the world.

Neville banged on the door insistently.

"Come on, answer the door," he whispered, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

There was no answer, nor any hint of any movement behind the door.

He pushed the letterbox flap backwards, and crouched down.

"Come on, open the door," he called loudly. "It's only me, no one else. I just want to make sure you're okay."

There was no response.

He was either ignoring him, or he had done something really stupid.

 _Looks like I'll have to be a little more forceful,_ he thought to himself sadly.

"I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! I CAN SEE YOUR TRUCK IN THE DRIVE!" he yelled, banging his fist hard against the door. "DON'T MAKE ME BREAK THIS DOOR DOWN!"

Still nothing.

"THAT'S IT. I'M COMING IN, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!"

Neville turned so that he was sideways onto the door and pushed hard against it several times until the lock broke and the door flung open.

He slowly entered the house, and decided to start with the downstairs, trying to ignore the strong stench of alcohol.

Neville pushed open the door that led to the living room and pushed it open. He peeked his head around the door, and any optimism he had that his friend was alright went out of the window.

His friend was passed out on the floor surrounded by several empty pill bottles.

"Seamus," Neville cried, running over to his friend. "What have you done? Seamus?"

Neville pushed the table out of the way and knelt down next to his friend and pressed his fingers to his pulse point.

He could hardly feel a thing.

 _No, no, no! I won't let you quit on me too._

Neville pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled 999, whilst he rolled Seamus onto his back.

From there everything was a blur for Neville.

As he waited for the ambulance to arrive, he performed CPR on Seamus and felt as though he was getting nowhere fast and that any hope he had of saving his friend was fading quickly.

He was just completing the third cycle when he heard the sirens approaching.

… _28, 29, 30._

 _Come on breathe._

He lowered his mouth to Seamus' and blew two long deep breaths into his mouth.

 _Don't worry Seamus, help has arrived._

 _You're going to be alright._

~o~o~o~

Seamus' eyes fluttered open to sound of familiar snoring.

 _I've made it._

His mouth felt dry as he turned over onto his side and croaked, "Dean."

Instead of seeing the familiar, slumbering form of his lost love, his eyes fell on Neville Longbottom.

"You," he said with a scratchy, accusatory voice as the sleeping man snorted in his sleep and jolted himself awake. "Why? Why? Why?"

"I thought you were dead, Seamus," he said, standing up and scooting his chair closer to the bed. "In fact, for a minute or two there you were."

Seamus narrowed his eyes at Neville.

"You should have left me that way," Seamus mumbled.

"Why would I do a thing like that?" Neville asked, feeling appalled at the very idea of leaving his friend for dead.

"Don't you get it you stupid idiot," Seamus screamed. "I wanted to die. At least then I'd be with Dean again."

"Seamus, I know you—"

"Oh, please, shut up. Just this once," Seamus cried out loud. "Yes I miss Dean; of course I miss him, and you just stopped me from being with him again. It feels like the world has let me down. Again. Now, why don't you run along and leave me alone."

Seamus turned over onto his other side so that his back was to his hurt friend, and reached out for the buzzer, pressing down on it for as long as possible until one of the nurses arrived.

"Can you get rid of him please?" he asked.

"Seamus," Neville whispered as the nurse ushered him away. "Please, don't shut me out."

"Sir, I really must insist you leave," the nurse told him.

"Okay, I'll go, but I'll be back tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that. I will keep returning until you finally let me see you, and allow me to help you stop drowning in this sea of darkness."

"Whatever," Seamus whispered from the bed as he heard the door to his private room close.

He closed his eyes, and allowed himself to drift into a light sleep.

 _I may not have got to you this time, Dean, but don't worry, even though that damn fool stopped me this time I won't let that deter me from being with you again._

 _I don't care if it takes me days, weeks or even months, we will be reunited once more._


	14. Music History A4 - The Heist - Marauders

**Subject:** Music History Option 1

 **Prompt:** Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

 **Event:** Uneven Bars

 **Mount:** Object - Music Clock (0.2); **Pirouettes:** Action - Staying Silent (0.3), Action - An argument (0.5), Action - Using a Muggle device (0.4); **Release Elements:** Word - Heist (0.6), Word - Jewel (0.5); **Transitions:** Dialogue - "Well, this is a nice change of scenery." / "It's a prison cell." / "I was being sarcastic." (0.5), Dialogue - "What on earth are you doing?" / "Nothing… just livin' on the edge." (0.5), Dialogue - "What does the little blinking light mean?" / "It means… wait, blinking?" (0.5); **Dismount:** (Scenario) Being caught in the act (0.5)

 **Chocolate Frog:** Gold – James Potter – Challenge – Write about James Potter

 **Word Count:** 2590

* * *

The Heist

" _And I'm hungry like the wooooolf."_

"Moony, would you shut that infernal clock up," James snapped, rubbing his temples as he looked up from the blueprints in front of him. "It's breaking my concentration."

"Lighten up, James," Sirius said, clapping him on the back. "I don't even know why you're going over those plans again. We know every inch of the place. We know where every alarm is. And if, for some inexplicable reason we've missed something, we have Remus on the outside to take care of it."

Sirius smiled at the brains of the operation and gave him a cheeky wink.

"Guys, I still think we need another person," Remus said uncertainly from the other side of the room where he was turning off his musical wolf clock.

"Remus, we are The Marauders," James told him with a look of bewilderment on his face. "We are more than capable of pulling this heist off on our own. Remember golden rule number one: no outsiders. It was the one and only thing we could agree on when we got together, and I'm not about to allow it to be broken because you _think_ we need another person. We go tomorrow as planned."

James rolled up the blueprints on the table and gave his friends a pointed look.

"I suggest you boys get an early night too; we have lots to do tomorrow morning," James said with a smile. "And that means no funny business. I can hear you both through the walls you know, and I'd rather not hear _'Oh Sirius, you are a big boy'_ all night long."

"You're only jealous you're not getting any," Remus retorted.

""My boy's got a point, James," Sirius agreed, grabbing Remus' arse. "You keep crashing and burning with the 'Flaming Doe'; it's time to give up and move onto some other talent out there."

"Hey, what we have is special," James said in mock offence. "She's just playing hard to get."

"Nah mate, she's just not that into you," Remus told him whilst his boyfriend nodded his head in agreement.

James shot daggers at the pair as he walked backwards towards the door.

"One day you'll see I was right and I will take great pleasure in telling you I told you so," he said opening the door. "And when we have children, our babies will be smart and beautiful."

"Not to mention imaginary," snorted Sirius.

James gave them one parting glare before exiting the dining room and going up to his bedroom, his mind full of images of the beautiful masked woman with the red hair who had beaten them to their most recent score.

~o~o~o~

"Here, take one of these," Remus said, opening a small plastic box and offering it to James.

"What are these?" James asked, picking up the unfamiliar, circular buds and twirling it around between his forefinger and thumb.

"They're comms, you idiot," Sirius laughed. "You know for a 'leader' you really are quite thick sometimes. Maybe it's time we held a leadership vote?"

"Really? Now? When we're about to pull off probably the biggest job of our lives," Remus said, handing Sirius a comm.

"You're right, darling," Sirius whispered huskily, placing the comm into his ear. "But as soon as this is over, I do think we need to have a vote on whether _this one_ should be our leader if he doesn't even know what a comm is."

"Hey, I know what a comm is," James retorted, defensively. "What I meant was why do we need them? We never used them before."

"Because, this time I'm staying on the outside," Remus explained. "How else am I supposed to communicate with you?"

He raised an eyebrow at James and smiled when his friend struggled to form a response.

"Excellent, so do you want to have a look at the animation I whipped up of how you will progress through the building?" Remus asked.

"Absolutely," the two men chimed.

"Well come and have a look then," Remus said, beckoning them to huddle around him in the fairly spacious van.

Remus talked his friends through where they would be entering the museum from and how long they would have at each 'checkpoint' before the alarms would sound. It was all very technical and the other two Marauders were impressed with what he had managed to whip up over the course of the morning.

It was times like these when it felt as though Remus was really holding back a lot of his talents.

~o~o~o~

"Okay, you should see a red door coming up on your right," Remus told them via the comms. "Stop there and it will be unlocked in a few moments."

James and Sirius continued to walk down the endless corridor towards and came to the door that would lead to the jewel; they could hear Remus tapping furiously on the keys inputting all the data necessary to confuse the security system.

"This is always the worst part," muttered Sirius under his breath.

"What is?" James asked.

"The waiting," he answered. " Don't get me wrong, I have complete faith in my guy, but there's just something about waiting for the little red light to turn green that gets me every time."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," James said, looking up at the balcony longingly.

"Don't tell me you're looking for your one true love?" Sirius laughed, noticing James' attention was elsewhere.

"What, no, of course not," James protested. "That would be so stupid."

"He totally was Pads," Remus chirped in as the light on the keypad turned green. "Make your way in lads and try not to make a mess like last time."

"Hey, that one was all James," Sirius whispered. "He got all gooey eyed and distracted."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Stop bickering. It was both of you," Remus snapped, getting impatient. "Now get in there before I have to reset the alarm, again."

"Yes Sir," James said, saluting the nearby security camera that was being monitored by Remus.

"Moony, I have to say I love this dominant side of you," Sirius said, pushing open the red door. "Maybe next time we role-play, you can be the master and I can be your helpless captive?"

James snorted. "Like that would ever happen."

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Prongs," Remus said, before bringing the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Okay guys, this is where it gets serious. You want to follow the room around until you are directly opposite the door. Make sure you keep to the railing though; remember there are hidden laser beams around the place, and I can only switch them off once, so don't make me do that before you're going for the diamond."

"Roger that, handsome," Sirius whispered, moving closer to the railing and leading James around the perimeter of the display room.

"Beautiful isn't she?" James mused.

"Are you talking about your non-existent Mrs again?" Sirius asked, rolling his eyes.

"No, I'm talking about the Lovegood diamond, you idiot," James retorted, reaching forward and clipping his friend on the back of his head.

"Sure, and oww, that hurt," Sirius whined, rubbing the back of his head.

"Guys, how many times?" Remus hissed. "Cut it out. I can't focus on these lasers with you two constantly being asshats."

"You could do that in your sleep," James told him.

"Not with you two constantly at it," Remus retorted. "Remember what nearly happened at the last heist? If the 'Flaming Doe' hadn't shown up when she did, we would have been done for. So here's what's going to happen now; James you are going to shut up about her, Sirius you are going to stop winding him up, and I am going to turn those lasers off in 5... 4… 3… 2… 1…"

The red lasers flickered in front of James and Sirius' eyes before completely disappearing from view.

"Alright boys, you have exactly two minutes to grab the diamond and get out before the lasers come back on," Remus informed them as they made their way towards the centre of the room. "You don't want to get caught between them because neither of you are the most flexible of people—I still haven't forgotten your humiliating attempts at limbo last year."

"But you've seen how flexible I am between the sheets!" Sirius retorted, leading James across the now laser free floor.

"Uggh!" James exclaimed, wishing the ground would swallow him whole. "I really don't want to know about your bedroom antics; I hear enough of them in the middle of the night."

Blocking out the continuing back and forth between Sirius and Remus, James circled the enclosed diamond.

There was no clear way to remove the casing, which left them only one option.

"What are you doing?" Sirius asked, noticing what James was about to do.

"Nothing… just livin' on the edge."

James drew his arm across his body and pulled it quickly back the way in came.

"Prongs, no."

His elbow made contact with the glass and shattered it to pieces, and James heard a small groan before his comm went dead. One glance at Sirius' face told him that the same had happened to him as well. They were on their own now.

"What does the little blinking light mean?" Sirius asked as James reached forward and grabbed the Lovegood diamond.

"It means… wait, blinking?" James asked bemused. "Run!"

The duo barely had time to move two paces before a huge metal cage came flying down from the ceiling about them, encasing them in the middle of the room.

"Caught in the act," a voice whispered.

James and Sirius' heads snapped towards the direction of the voice and became blinded by the beam of light coming from a flashlight.

"Let's see how the infamous Marauders fair in a prison cell," he said with a smirk. "And you can put that diamond back where you got it from."

The trapped duo exchanged looks, their expressions mirroring each other completely.

"We're screwed," they both said in unison.

~o~o~o~

"Well, this is a nice change of scenery," Sirius said, leaning back against the cold, bland wall, and placing his arms behind his head.

"It's a prison cell," James answered dryly, raising his eyebrows at his friend.

"I was being sarcastic, Prongs," Sirius told him. "And besides, we wouldn't be here if you hadn't been too eager to get your hands on the Lovegood diamond."

"You're say this is my fault?"

"Yes, yes I am."

"Well, maybe if you and Moony hadn't been so busy flirting, I wouldn't have had to act so rashly."

"Rashly? You smashed the case to smithereens, tripped an alarm and got us banged up," Sirius raved, standing up and moving closer to James. "I'd say you did a little more than act rashly."

The sound of metal clinking halted their bickering as they snapped their heads towards the door of the cell.

"Count yourselves lucky boys," the approaching man said. "You've just been granted temporary bail until a hearing next week. Do you think you can keep yourselves out of trouble until then?"

The confined duo nodded their heads respectfully, just as someone else appeared behind the guard.

"Don't worry; I'll keep them out of mischief."

"Remus," they said in unison as the tall form of the speaker came into full view.

~o~o~o~

The journey to the van was a quiet one. Neither of the three Marauders had much to say.

James and Sirius were bitterly disappointed by the loss of their golden opportunity to seize the Lovegood diamond and really make a name for themselves, whilst Remus was fought the urge to tell them, ' _I told you so'_.

"Rem, I'm sorry," James whispered quietly, breaking the stony silence. "It's all my fault."

"No it isn't, Prongs," Sirius refuted. "It's mine. I should have kept a lid on my lust. A vital job is not the time or the place, and because of me we don't have the Lovegood diamond."

Remus turned to face them as they reached the van.

"Are you quite done blaming yourselves?" he asked. "Because I think you'll find that the heist was a complete success."

"What?" James and Sirius asked in unison, exchanging confused looks.

"I said, the heist was a success," Remus repeated.

"No it wasn't," James said. "In case you missed it, we didn't get the diamond."

Remus raised his eyebrows at his two best friends.

"You might not have, but he did," Remus said, nodding his head to the approaching person.

James and Sirius whipped around to look at the man Remus was indicating towards.

"Him?"

"What?"

"The security guard?"

"Allow me to explain," Remus said, opening the door and climbing into the van.

James and Sirius hopped in after Remus closely followed by the security guard who they were eyeing with a great deal of suspicion, and sat down in the chairs they kept in there.

"First of all, let me introduce you to Peter Pettigrew," Remus said, pointing to the man who had busted them.

Peter gave the duo a shy wave. "Hi guys."

"Peter, why don't you show the boys what you brought for us?" Remus suggested when the other two men made no move to greet him.

James and Sirius watched carefully as Peter placed his hand into his pocket, rooted around for a moment and pulled out the Lovegood diamond.

"What?"

"How?"

"Guys, you were so dead against bringing in another member to our crew," Remus reminded them. "I knew you would never agree to it, so I took matters into my own hands. And after what happened tonight, I think I was right to do so, wouldn't you agree?"

James and Sirius looked down at the ground, knowing full well that Remus had a point.

"Yes," they both said.

"So, would you like to see what you missed?" Remus asked, beckoning them to gather around his computer.

"Absolutely!" they said, jumping up from their seats.

The foursome watched the footage of James and Sirius being carted away in handcuffs, and how Peter used some sleight of hand movements to take the diamond from the broken glass case and place it in his pocket.

"Nice one, Peter," Sirius declared, slapping the newest member of their crew on the back.

"And you know what the best thing is," Remus said once the video finished playing.

"What?" Sirius asked

"They'll be dropping the charges against the pair of you within the next twenty four hours."

"But why?" questioned James. "Why would they do something like that?"

"Because," Remus laughed. "I've wiped any and all footage from their systems, and without their star witness, who incidentally doesn't work at the museum, they'll have no case."

"But the diamond has still been stolen," James stated, feeling rather confused.

He glanced over at Sirius who mirrored his expression completely.

"Has it?" Remus asked, zooming in on the diamond which was still exactly where they left it. "What you're seeing now is an exact replica created by Peter."

"Genius Remus, you absolute genius!" James said, ruffling his friend's hair. "And Peter, excellent job, mate. Welcome to the crew!"

"Yeah, Peter, welcome to the crew," Sirius echoed. "Now, I'm in the mood to celebrate. Shall we get out of here and go to the pub?"

The rest of the group nodded their heads in agreement, and Sirius jumped through to the driver's seat to drive them to their favourite ale house.

It was the beginning of a beautiful new partnership.


	15. Potions A4 - A New Challenge - Cadogan

**Written and posted separately for QL Round 10**

 **Subject:** Potions

 **Task:** write a story with the following colours in this order: Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Red, Orange

 **Prompt:** (Restriction) No female characters

 **Word Count:** 1534

* * *

A New Challenge

Sir Cadogan jumped down off his fat, grey pony at the sound of approaching feet.

"En guard," he cried at the nearing group of boys. "Come and fight me you cowardly lions."

The three boys looked up at his portrait before laughing and carrying on walking along the Divination Corridor.

"Hey, come back here!" Sir Cadogan called, dashing along the wall through his neighbours painting. "Come back here I say and fight me. I'm still here."

He chased the group of boys in the scarlet and gold ties all the way to the end of the corridor and down a flight of stairs before doubling over, gasping for breath.

Cadogan found himself unwillingly admitting to himself that he wasn't as fit as he once was.

As he slowly ambled back through the paintings on course to his own portrait, he found himself longing for the life he used to lead. A life full of challenges, excitement, and most importantly, danger.

Was it too much to ask for someone to give him a task to complete?

After half an hour of sluggishly climbing through paintings full of burning hot yellow suns, Sir Cadogan finally reached his own and collapsed into a heap on the freshly mown green grass, and lay on his back, looking up at the fluffy white clouds that covered the light blue sky.

After a while, he glanced over at his pony and thought about how they had come to be together. It had been his greatest achievement, and it was the one that had led King Arthur to trust him with even more important assignments and cemented his name in the wizarding history books as one of the greatest knights of the round table.

~o~o~o~

 _The entire kingdom had been under threat for quite some time from a fearsome beast known as The Wyvern of Wye._

 _What had started out as several attacks on the smaller villages on the outskirts of Dumnonia, had developed into full scale demolitions of the towns closer to the castle, and in the most recent attack the Wyvern had kidnapped the daughter of the Lord who ruled over those lands in the stead of King Arthur._

 _It was for this reason that Sir Cadogan had been summoned to the great hall of Camelot._

 _The knight briskly walked down the corridor, eager to discover the grand and important challenge that would be laid before him._

 _Would he have to rescue the damsel in distress?_

 _Would he have to slay the beast?_

 _Sir Cadogan couldn't wait to find out._

 _He approached the entrance to the great hall, which as always was guarded by two of King Arthur's most trusted knights of the round table; this afternoon the task had been entrusted to Sir Gawain and Sir Galahad._

 _They were both completely suited up in their armour with their visors of their helmets closed, holding their shield in one hand and their swords sheathed in their cases attached to their leather belts._

 _Sir Cadogan would give anything to be apart of this circle of trusted friends, and perhaps this would be his best opportunity._

" _I have an audience with the King," Sir Cadogan said._

" _You may enter," Sir Galahad answered. "He is expecting you."_

 _The two knights pulled open the doors to the great hall, and Sir Cadogan entered._

 _He briskly walked down the length of the room, and as he drew closer to the front he noticed that King Arthur was pacing quickly along the width of the raised platform with a worried expression on his face._

 _Upon his approach, King Arthur ceased his pacing and turned to face the approaching knight._

 _Sir Cadogan bent his knee when he reached his king to show his respect and waited._

" _Arise, Sir Cadogan," King Arthur said after a few moments. "No doubt you are aware of the troubles our kingdom has been facing over the last couple of weeks."_

" _I am," he answered, growing more hopeful by the second that he had been correct in his suspicions for being summoned._

" _So you will be aware that the Lady Guinevere has been kidnapped by the beast?" Arthur queried._

" _Indeed. It is a most distressing matter," Sir Cadogan answered, knowing how much she meant to his king._

" _Ordinarily, I would give a task of such importance to Sir Lancelot, however he is away on a quest and I cannot wait for his return to mount a rescue for Lady Guinevere," King Arthur said, resuming his pacing. "It is therefore, upon the recommendation of Merlin that I am tasking you with slaying the Wyvern of Wye and returning the good lady to her family safely."_

 _Sir Cadogan fought the grin that was threatening to spread across his face._

" _Do not fail me, Sir Cadogan," King Arthur instructed. "The fate of the kingdom, and the Lady Guinevere rests in your hands."_

" _I will not fail you," Sir Cadogan vowed, giving King Arthur a low bow before exiting the great hall with a bounce in his step._

 _~o~o~o~_

 _It had been a long and arduous battle for Sir Cadogan and there had been a time or two when he had thought that he wouldn't make it, but the thought of failing and disappointing his king had driven him to do what he had to._

 _He had lost his wand and his horse during the battle, but the one thing that remained completely in tact was his honour and reputation. The former two things were replaceable but the latter were not so easily restored._

 _As Sir Cadogan rode into Camelot on the back of a grey pony, the entire population gasped and cheered for him. He took in the faces of all his adoring fans and knew that he would not be struggling for company that evening._

 _The cart behind him rattled, carrying the carcass of the slain dragon-like creature. It's purple and red scales had broken off in several place, exposing its flesh, and its eyelids flickered open with as the cart bounced along, exposing it dead, orange eyes_

 _The eyes of the onlookers widened at the sight of it, and Sir Cadogan felt a surge of pride knowing that it was he who had achieved this feat._

 _They looked at him and appreciated him for the hero that he was._

 _~o~o~o~_

 _There was a loud fanfare as Sir Cadogan hopped down off his fat, grey pony and entered the great hall._

 _The edges were lined with all the major Lords and Ladies of Dumnonia who clapped as he boldly walked down the length of the room._

 _He bent his knee before his king when he reached the raised platform._

" _Arise, Sir Cadogan," King Arthur said._

 _The brave knight stood with his back straight as he waited for King Arthur's next words._

" _Sir Cadogan," his voice rang out. "You have shown immense bravery and skill these past days. You have slain the beast that was troubling our great land and you rescued the Lady Guinevere. A feat such as this must have a reward. It is therefore my privilege to award you this medal of valour, and a seat at my table."_

 _Sir Cadogan beamed as fresh applause broke out in the room._

" _Thank you," he whispered, bowing his head. "Thank you."_

~o~o~o~

Sir Cadogan was drawn out of his memories by the sound of soft footsteps.

 _Probably just another cowardly student who doesn't want to engage me a duel,_ he thought to himself.

The footsteps stopped directly in front of his painting and someone cleared their throat.

Sir Cadogan looked up from the ground, immediately straightening up at the sight of the tall, bearded man in front of him.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," he said loudly. "What brings you this neck of the woods?"

"A most grievous event, Sir Cadogan," Albus answered. "The Gryffindor Common Room was breached, and our dear Lady is too scared to return to her post."

"I see That is most horrendous, headmaster," Cadogan answered. "It is such a shame that it was not I who was guarding the Common Room. The dirty, rotten reprobate would not have got past me."

Albus Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he smiled at Sir Cadogan.

"You have no idea how much it pleases me to hear you say that, Sir Cadogan," Albus said, "because you see we are now in need of a new portrait to guard the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. I for one cannot think of anyone braver or more fit for the job than yourself."

"Me," Sir Cadogan said excitedly. "You want me to guard the Common Room."

"But of course. Do you accept the challenge my good Sir?"

"I do," Sir Cadogan answered eagerly.

"Excellent, I shall have Mr Filch move you to your new home soon," Albus said.

"Thank you, headmaster," Sir Cadogan whispered solemnly. "I won't let you down."

"I have every faith that you won't," Albus said, tipping his hat to the knight before departing.

 _Yes, a new challenge for Sir Cadogan._

 _Quake in your boots fiends, for no scoundrel shall get past me._

Yes, Sir Cadogan was most eager to begin fulfilling his new role to the best of his ability and finally have some excitement injected into his life.


	16. CoMC A4 - Six Little words - Katie Bell

**Subject:** Care of Magical Creatures

 **Task:** Write about someone being extremely calm before losing their cool.

 **Chocolate Frog:** Silver - Katie Bell - Challenge - Write about Katie Bell

 **Word Count:** 752

* * *

Six Little Words

Hey Katie," Oliver said, prompting her to look up from her book. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she answered, closing her copy of Intermediate Transfiguration and giving Oliver her full attention. "Sit down."

She motioned to the seat across from her and struggled to keep a hopeful expression from creeping up onto her face. She was certain that this would finally be the moment that Oliver asked her out, and with the first Hogsmeade visit of the year just around the corner she couldn't imagine a more perfect way to begin their relationship after more than a year of longing looks and dancing around each other.

Katie smiled at him, taking in his nervous and restless disposition and bit her bottom lip

 _Oh come on Oliver, spit the words out—just six little words—will you go out with me? It's not that difficult!_

"Well," Katie said eventually, growing tired of the long silence. "What did you want to ask?"

"Oh yeah, so as you know the big Quidditch match against Slytherin is coming up in a couple of weeks, and I wanted to get your opinion on the game plan I've devised for the Chasers," Oliver stated in a matter of fact voice. "I'd have asked Angie, but you know how she can be—she'd have bit my head off as soon as I brought it up."

Katie nodded her head slowly, forcing herself to keep a smile on her face and trying her best not to cry. It shouldn't come as any surprise to her that he had sought her out once again to talk Quidditch again; it was all he ever seemed to want to talk to her about. Katie had suspected that there might have been something more to it, but it was becoming clearer to her that there was not.

She couldn't believe she had been so foolish as to believe that Oliver Wood would ask her out—he could have the pick of any girl he wanted.

"Yeah—sure," she answered, keeping her voice even whilst she continued to internally berate herself.

"Great," Oliver said, oblivious to her pain as he placed the first of several moving diagrams in front of her.

She sat there for the better part of half an hour, listening to Oliver prattle on and on about numerous tactics and moves that he wanted the Chasers to master and put into practice against Slytherin.

If Katie was honest, she found the whole thing mind numbingly boring, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything because she loved the sound of his voice when he was so excited about something—even if it was Quidditch.

So she sat and she listened, nodding her head in all the right places until he suddenly trailed off mid sentence when Jodie Brown entered the Common Room.

It was the final straw and whilst she couldn't bring herself to express what was really bothering her out of fear of embarrassing herself, she found she wanted to scream at him about something, and so she chose Quidditch.

"Oh for crying out loud Oliver, do you hear yourself?" Katie cried loudly, running her hands through her hair.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Oliver said, turning his attention back to Katie with a look of pure confusion written across his face.

"I'm talking about your pathetic obsession with beating Slytherin—it seems to be all you care about these days and quite frankly it's annoying. Yes it would be great to beat them, of course it would, but the way you go on about it, anyone would think that it was a life or death situation. Every other day you have more tactics, new ideas and it is exhausting. And rather than have faith in our ability as a team, all you seem to think is that I'm not good enough—"

"Katie, calm down," Oliver said, leaning back in the chair.

"Don't you tell me to calm down, Wood! I have been waiting for you to ask me out for the last year, and every time I think you're going to, you bring up Quidditch. Well enough is enough. Go and find someone else to nod and agree with everything you say, because I'm done."

Katie jumped up from her seat and grabbed her bag, fleeing up the stairs to the girl's dormitory as she realised that she had said too much, and leaving Oliver behind in a stunned silence with a lot to think about.


	17. HerbologyA4 - Cream of Destruction-James

**Subject:** Herbology

 **Task:** Write about a positive aspect (say friendship) killing a negative one.

 **Extra Prompts:** (Word) Touch, (Word) Sweet

 **Chocolate Frog:** Dexter Fortescue - Challenge - Use the location of Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour in your story

 **Word Count:** 612

* * *

Cream of Destruction

James Potter sat at one of the tables outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and glanced at his watch. If McKinnon had given Sirius the correct information— and he was almost certain that she had since she'd had the hots for him for the last two years— Evans would be arriving in Diagon Alley in the next five minutes.

He had a perfect plan and it was the one that he knew would finally win her heart. And Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour would forever be known as the place the greatest love story of our time finally began.

After all, a great man—okay Sirius—once said, "The way to a woman's heart is through ice cream."

He saw a flash of flaming red hair and jumped to his feet.

"Evans," he called, giving a signal to Florean Fortescue to start bringing out the ice cream before chasing her down the street and grasping her by the hand.

"Get your hands off me, Potter!" Lily exclaimed, hitting him on the arm.

James ignored her and carried on tugging her in the direction of the ice cream parlour. Once he reached the table that was now half full of bowls of ice cream, he pushed Lily gently on the shoulders until she sat down, before taking a seat opposite her

"Potter, what is this?" Lily snapped.

"These are for you, my sweet Lily," James said with a smile.

"I'm lactose intolerant, you moron," Lily hissed across the table at the irritating seventeen year old. "Once again, the great James Potter proves what an imbecile he is."

"Huh?" James asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "What's Lasto intolerant?"

Lily sighed. "It means that I can't have anything with dairy in it like, for example, ice cream," she explained, nodding her head at the bowls in front of her. "And it's lactose, not lasto."

Lily pushed her chair away from the table and started to stand up until James reached his hand out and grabbed her wrist.

"No, wait," he said quickly. "Sit back down."

James pulled the ice cream that had been set in front of Lily towards him and dug the spoon in, heaping as much onto it as possible.

"I will eat all this ice cream for you; I won't let any of it touch you, I swear," he declared, pushing the spoon full of ice cream into his mouth. "Oh, so cold! So, so cold"

Lily sat back in her chair with an amused expression on her face as James started to make his way through the second bowl of ice cream.

"What exactly are you trying to achieve?" she asked.

"Roanicgeser," James said, swallowing some strawberry ice cream.

"Come again?" Lily laughed.

"I'm making a romantic gesture, Evans," James told her. "I'm saving you from sure and certain death by eating all this cream of destruction."

Lily stifled a laugh.

"James lactose intolerance can't kill you," she informed him as he continued to wolf down the ice cream. "It just causes—undesirable reactions. A lot like you do."

"I can imagine anything undesirable coming from you," James answered flirtatiously.

"Anyway, I can't say this has been as unpleasant as it usually is being in your company, but I have places to be, Potter," Lily told him, standing up. "Next time you want to make a romantic gesture, here's a little bit of advice—don't listen to Sirius. Enjoy your 'cream of destruction'."

James dropped the spoon back into the dish and as she walked away from him only two things were running through his mind:

 _How did she know he was following Sirius' advice? And why did his head hurt so much?_


	18. Music History A5- No Going Back- Charlie

**Subject:** Music History

 **Task:** Write about a transition

 **September Event:** National Yoga Month

 **Prompt:** I-Want-It-So-Badly Meditation - Write about someone who desperately wants something

 **HPFC:** What Does This Remind You Of?: Dragons

 **Prompt:** Freedom and Flying

 **Word Count:** 1001

* * *

No Going Back

Charlie stood in front of the colony of dragons he was charged with keeping and caring for. They were such beautiful creatures—so enchanting and marvellous. He wondered what it would be like to be one of them and experience the wonders of being one of them for himself. It was something he wanted to know more than anything in the world.

If only there was a way that it was possible and then an idea struck him, and he knew that no matter how long it took, no matter how many trials and tribulations he had to face, he would achieve the dream that had first manifested when he was thirteen years old.

~o~o~o~

Three Years Later

Charlie looked at the potion in front of him and smiled. In just a few moments time, his dream would finally come true. All his hard work and patience would finally pay off. He would finally know what it was like to be one of the dragons.

He drank the scarlet liquid and felt a warm sensation spread through his entire body and placed the vial back onto the table.

Charlie walked out of his Romanian house and out into the open air, and travelled towards a secluded area that he had located a few weeks ago when he was searching for a safe place where he could transform

It was a long journey and whilst he knew that he could have apparated there, Charlie felt that it was best to use the time to get himself into the right mindset. During his reading, he had learnt that the first time was always the hardest and that whilst many had completed the training to become an animagus, the majority failed to ever transfigure. This was something that Charlie didn't think he could bare to happen, and thought that it might break him if it did.

After thirty minutes, Charlie arrived at a clearing in the woods. It was a place that, to the best of his knowledge, no one knew existed and if they did, they didn't go there because of the hard journey.

His mind completely focused, Charlie saw himself in his mind's eye taking the form of a majestic, large and ferocious looking dragon. He allowed the vision to consume him completely until there was no room for any other thought in his head.

He raised his arms out to his side and jumped out the spot, and as he did so he felt his body begin to shift and change, transitioning into his desired form.

When he landed back on the ground, he did so on four legs. His head turned from left to right as he admired his huge wing span. He raked his claws against the fine dirt and let out a quiet and appreciative roar. He also noted that his vision was remarkably better than when he was in human form as he watched the tiniest particles of dust float around in the air.

Already, being a dragon felt more amazing than he could ever have imagined.

He flapped his wings gently. _I wonder…_ he thought to himself.

He padded along to the far end of the clearing before turning around. He bent down on his hind quarters and focused his eyes on his destination—the sky.

Charlie took a couple of moments to ready himself before running at full pace, flapping his wings as he went. Just when he was a few metres from the trees, Charlie felt his feet leave the ground as he soared into the sky.

Up and up he went, flying so high that he had a view of all the major towns and cities in the north of Romania.

 _This is amazing,_ Charlie thought to himself.

He had never felt so free and alive as he did in that moment, soaring above civilisation. He wondered why more people didn't attempt to become animagi—sure it was difficult, but the benefits far outweighed that one minor detail.

Feeling slightly thirsty, Charlie decided to fly towards the lake a short distance from the sanctuary he worked at, knowing that at it would be very much deserted at this time of the morning. Dragonologists may lead an adventurous lifestyle, but just like everyone else they needed their beauty sleep.

When he landed at the lake, Charlie admired his new reflection; his scales were smooth and scarlet, and he had a fringe of golden spiked around his snub-snouted face. His eyes were red and bulging. Charlie instinctively knew that he had taken the form of a Chinese Fireball, which was only fitting since they were also known as the lion dragon.

As he drank from the water, Charlie couldn't help but feel a strong pull urging him to make the transition to a dragon a permanent one. The lure of the sky—to be able to fly and feel free—was a powerful one, and one that he found he did not want to resist.

There would be no going back for Charlie.

Would he miss his family? _Yes, of course he would._

Would the transition be worth the sacrifice? _Absolutely._

To work amongst dragons had been his ambition ever since he had been old enough to read, but to live amongst the dragons, to be a dragon, and experience all that went with it, had been his absolute desire and now it was well within his reach.

He couldn't let this opportunity pass him by. His family would understand when he explained his decision to them, although he suspected that his mother would try and talk him out of it if he informed them in person, which left only one means of conveying his choice to them—a letter.

Charlie took of back into the sky and flew back to the clearing, landing with a barely audible thud. He cleared his mind and allowed himself to retake his human form before travelling back the way he came to do his last act as a human.


	19. Myths A5 Task 3 - Peeping James

**Subject:** Myths and Legends

 **Task:** Write about a 'Peeping Tom' - by definition, a character spying on another character whilst they are naked or in a state of undress.

 **September Event:** Back to School

 **Prompts:** 4 (Word) Exaggerate, 22 (Action) Being attracted to/starting an intimate relationship with a friend's mum or dad

 **Chocolate Frog:** Gold - Ignotus Peverell - Challenge - Write about the cloak of invisibility

 **Word Count:** 815

* * *

Peeping James

James sat on the couch, eating a chocolate frog as he watched some Muggle tv show where people had sent in videos of them doing stupid things in return for money. He was relatively certain that it was called something along the lines of: _'You've Been Framed!'_

Remus and Sirius had slunk off upstairs for a while, and were no doubt engaging in a number of acts that would make James want to go home tonight if he thought about it for too long.

He laughed out loud as he watched a Muggle exaggerate 'attempting' to keep their balance before falling off a raft and into the water.

 _Only Muggles!_ he thought to himself.

In the distance he heard the shower turn on upstairs and his attention switched from the television screen in front of him to the woman who would be climbing into the shower—Hope Lupin.

James felt himself react to the knowledge that the older woman was naked and getting wet—he just wished that it was because of him.

He knew in the back of his mind that it was wrong for him to desire one of his best friend's mum as much as he did, but there was just something about her that captivated him more than any girl his own age could. She was like a fine wine and only got better with age. She was, to James, a goddess who deserved to be worshipped.

James's hand twitched towards his pocket where he had stored his invisibility cloak.

 _I couldn't… I shouldn't… could I?_

 _Remus and Sirius will be busy for at least another hour… they'd never know_

Without giving himself a chance to over-think and talk himself out of what he was about to do, he pulled his invisibility cloak out of his pocket and placed it over his body.

He stood up and started to walk up the stairs, being extra careful so as not to make a sound. If Remus and Sirius heard him over the shower, he knew he would be busted and have a lot of questions to answer—questions he would not feel comfortable answering.

When he reached the landing, he confidently walked towards the end door on the landing and slipped inside, taking a seat on the stool by the dressing table where he would wait and then watch.

James wasn't waiting long before Hope walked into the bedroom with a white, fluffy towel wrapped around her perfect body, and smaller towel covering her hair.

How he longed to be the towel, touching her smooth, creamy skin.

His breathing hitched as she slowly removed the concealing towel and allowed it to slip through her fingers and fall to the floor. The action in itself was so sensual that if James didn't know any better, he would swear that she knew he was watching her.

James watched as she walked over to the wardrobe and began to flick through her clothes, giving him a great view of her arse. He briefly wondered if Lyall knew what a lucky man he was to have a wife as hot as Hope—probably not since he was always away for business which coincidently fell in the week surrounding the full moon.

She sang a quiet tune to herself that sounded a lot like one of the Celestina Warbeck songs he heard frequently on the radio. The sixteen year found himself enchanted by the sheer beauty of her singing—she was like a siren and she was calling to him to her.

He watched as Hope appeared to settle on a sapphire blue dress and turned around to place it on the bed. As she did so, he was treated to the most spectacular view of her her round and supple breasts. How he longed to touch and caress them.

With sorrowful eyes, James observed as Hope set about covering up her voluptuous body.

Once she was dressed, Hope made her way into the en-suite bathroom and closed the door behind her, but not before her eyes lingered on the spot where James was sat. He felt his cheeks begin to burn as he wondered if there was a possibility that she knew she was here.

With the door closed, James stood up and decided to use the opportunity to make his exit from the bedroom.

As James slipped out of the bedroom, he cast a glance towards the close en-suite bathroom door and whispered, "Until next time, sweet Hope."

He closed the door behind him and slipped down stairs. He flopped down on the couch and removed his invisibility cloak and placed it back in his pocket, just as Sirius and Remus came thundering down the stairs with satisfied grins on their faces.

"Did we miss much?" Sirius asked.

"Nope, nothing at all," James answered, thinking about the private show he had just enjoyed and smiling.


	20. DADA A5 (EC) - Making A Move

**Subject:** Defence Against the Dark Arts (Extra Credit

 **Task:** Write about someone being called a coward and their reaction to it

 **September Event:** Back to School

 **Prompts:** 10 (Word) Breakfast, 58 (Location) Great Hall

 **Chocolate Frog:** Gold – Hungarian Horntail – Challenge – Write a story set in Harry's fourth year

 **Word Count:** 396

* * *

Making a Move

Ron took another huge bite out of his slice of toast as the owls began to fly overhead. He noticed that Errol was heading his way and he grinned, wondering what gift his mother had sent from home this time.

The owl dropped the small box in front of him and he quickly opened it, his grin broadening as he realised that it was a hamper of sweets. Breakfast truly was the best time of day.

"All I'm saying Neville is that you have to stop being such a coward," Ron heard Seamus say.

He glanced up to see three of his dorm mates heading towards him.

"Yeah, Nev, you need to man up and ask her out already, before someone else does," Dean agreed. "I mean look at me now; if I hadn't got in there when I did with Lavender, she would be on some other guy's arms. Take it from someone who knows, quit being a coward."

"Stop calling me a coward," Neville mumbled as he sat down across from Ron, his hands balled into tight fists.

"We will as soon as you ask her out," Seamus said with a smile.

"Okay, okay, if it'll get you off my back," Neville answered, turning his attention to the spread laid on for breakfast. "I'll ask her out."

"Look, here she comes," Dean said, slapping Neville on the shoulder. "Better now than never, right Nev."

"Here who comes, what?" Ron asked, wondering who Neville was going to ask out.

When no one answered him, Ron turned his attention back to his breakfast as Neville jumped up from the bench and moved towards the mysterious girl.

"Hey, Hermione," he heard Neville say.

 _What? Hermione? Oh no he isn't! He wouldn't put the moves on my girl._

He dropped his slice of toast and snapped his head towards his dorm-mate and one of his best friends. His mouth dropped open as he watched his biggest nightmare come true.

"The Yule Ball is coming up in a few weeks. Would you maybe, perhaps, want to go with me?"

And then Hermione uttered three words that broke Ron's heart.

"I'd love to."

The disgruntled Gryffindor crossed his arms and glared at the _happy couple_ as he picked up his toast and took an aggressive bite from it.

Breakfast was most certainly _not_ his favourite meal of the day anymore.


	21. CoMC A6 - The Test - Dudley

**Subject:** Care of Magical Creatures

 **Task:** Write about a character who is utterly useless in a certain situation.

 **Extra Prompt:** Dudley Dursley

 **September Event:** Back to School

 **Prompts:** 1 (Word) Clueless, 26 (Action) Copying someone else's work

 **Word Count:** 516

* * *

The Test

Dudley stared dumbfounded at the long, black chalkboard as he read the words: **Pop Quiz**.

A Maths test… on a Monday morning. Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse after the weekend he had just had when his parents and teachers had decided it would be a fantastic idea to force a new, strict diet upon him

How was it possible that he didn't know about the test? Not that it would have made any difference as to whether he revised, but it would have given him the time to convince one of the first years to break into the desk and steal the answers. And if he refused then he could have at least got in some practice for his upcoming boxing match.

Now he was simply clueless and would have to cheat off the person next to him and hope for the best.

He yawned as he glanced over his shoulder and looked at his best friend, Piers Polkiss, who had look of equal shock, disappointment and confusion written on his face.

"What the hell?" he mouthed

"I know," Piers mouthed back with a subtle eye roll.

Dudley turned back around and glared at his teacher as she began to pass out the sheets of paper that would be the result of his first ever fail grade. He couldn't even begin to imagine the look on his mother's face when she heard her 'Little Diddykins' had been given an 'F' or the pure fury on his father's. Sure, outwardly, especially when Harry was around, they gave the impression that he could do no wrong, but when it was just the three of them, and where his education was concerned, they took a much harder line with him.

"You have thirty minutes, class," his teacher said. "Begin."

Dudley turned over the paper in front of him and stared blankly at the first question:

Find the value of x. Show your working out.

5x - 3 = 2x + 12

"Hey, Archie," Dudley whispered. "Let me see your answers."

"No," he hissed back, moving his arm and shielding his work from him. "Do your own work for once."

"Move your arm and let me copy your work or else I will break your fingers," Dudley threatened, reaching out and crushing his hand lightly for effect.

Archie winced slightly, tears from in his eyes as he tried to contain a loud cry of pain, and nodded his head. "Okay," he whispered. "You can copy off me. Please let go of my hand now."

Dudley released his hand and offered him a smug grin as Archie moved his arm out of the way.

He covertly glanced out of the corner of his eye, looking at Archie's answer to question one of what looked like an endless quiz full of algebra questions.

5x - 3 = 2x + 12

(-2x) 3x - 3 = 12

(+3) 3x = 15

(/3) x = 5

Dudley sighed audibly as he realised that the answers he was copying were only going to get longer and so much more complicated.


	22. HoM A6 - Teaching Sirius

**Subject:** History of Magic

 **Task:** Write a story in which a character breaks a law.

 **September Event:** Back to School

 **Prompts:** 24 (Action) Being given/giving a driving lesson, 36 (Dialogue) "You look like hell." / "Yeah? I just got back."

 **Writing Club:** White Chocolate Day (22nd September): The only people who eat white chocolate are kids and Remus Lupin (chocolate is chocolate, right?!) Write about Remus Lupin. Must include chocolate.

 **Word Count:** 942

* * *

Teaching Sirius

Teddy smiled at Sirius as he walked out of the kitchen nursing a cup of coffee.

"So, are you ready for your first driving lesson?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Sirius answered, jovially. "I already know how to ride a motorcycle; in fact I was an expert at it within a week. How different can a car be?"

"You'd be surprised," Teddy muttered, thinking back to his own experiences when he learnt how to drive. He'd had the same over-confidence that Sirius had right now.

"What was that?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing," Teddy replied. "Ready to go?"

"You know it. Bye, Remus," he called into the kitchen.

Remus bobbed out of the kitchen and smiled lovingly at his husband and son.

"Bye, love. Bye, Teddy," Remus answered. "Have fun and be safe."

"Always am," Sirius laughed.

~o~o~o~

"Sirius, slow down!" Teddy cried, gripping the passenger seat tightly and digging his nails into the soft leather. "You're going too fast!"

"Teds, I'm only doing 60," Sirius answered, looking at the dashboard. "That's slow."

"Eyes on the road!" Teddy yelled, noticing an approaching truck."And for crying out loud get in the right lane."

"I am."

"No," Teddy hissed, grabbing the steering wheel and tilting it, shaking his head at his poor choice of words. "I mean the correct lane—the left lane."

"Relax, I've got this," Sirius told him reassuringly as he turned left, driving over half the pavement as he did and startling several people who only just managed to jump out of the way in time.

"Sorry," Sirius called out of the window. "Should I write them a note, Teddy?"

"No, you do not almost run people over and write them a note," Teddy answered, wondering why he had allowed his father to convince him to teach Sirius 'I-Know-Everything' Black to drive.

Teddy closed his eyes and began to count to ten in a fruitless attempt to ease his oncoming headache.

"See, I've got this," Sirius told him.

Teddy opened his eyes and immediately noticed the approaching cars.

 _What an idiot!_

"Umm, Sirius," Teddy whispered nervously. "You do realise this is a one way street, don't you?"

"I am going one way."

Teddy sighed heavily. "No, a one way street is when ALL the cars can only travel in one direction."

"Then those idiots are driving the wrong way," Sirius laughed, pressing on the horn and making rude hand gestures at the other drivers.

"No," Teddy said, feeling his temper rising. "You're going the wrong way."

"Whoops, my bad," Sirius said, whipping out his wand and turning the car around. "All better."

"And what about the exposure of magic?" Teddy asked.

"Relax," Sirius told him. "Muggles notice nothing."

"They notice more than you think," Teddy muttered.

"Oh, speaking of Muggles," Sirius said, "can this car do any of those nifty tricks the cars in that film can do—you know the one with guy who's like the name's Bond?"

"No," Teddy answered curtly.

"You should get one," Sirius asked, hitting a post box and knocking the wing mirror off.

"I'll think about it," Teddy said, rolling his eyes. "I think that's enough for today. Why don't you pull over and I can drive home?"

"No," Sirius said, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. "I want to drive back. I need to keep practising if I'm going to pass my test first time."

Teddy rolled his eyes. The only way Sirius would ever be able to pass a driving test would be if he confunded the instructor.

~o~o~o~

"You look like hell," Remus remarked as Teddy came through the front door.

"Yeah? I just got back," Teddy sighed, trying to shake the image of his life flashing before his eyes several times.

"That bad, huh?"

"Dad, he can't drive!" Teddy exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "He was speeding, driving the wrong way down a road; he nearly hit several people, and don't even get me started on the damage he has done to my car. He broke so many driving laws it's unbelievable."

"Where is he now?" Remus asked.

"Fixing the damage he's done to my car, hopefully," Teddy answered.

"Sit down," Remus ordered. "I know exactly what you need."

Teddy sat down on the couch as his father entered the kitchen, returning soon after with a bar of white chocolate.

"Eat this," he said, breaking a strip off and handing it to him. "You'll feel better."

"Really, Dad?" Teddy asked. "You think chocolate is going to magically fix everything?"

"Son," Remus said, sitting down next to him, "you'll soon learn that chocolate is the answer to everything."

 _Yeah right,_ Teddy thought to himself, taking a small bite of the chocolate.

"Well," Sirius boomed, entering through the front door, "that went very well I thought. When's my next lesson, Teddo? Tomorrow?"

Teddy threw his father a worried look, silently pleading for him to save him from ever giving Sirius a driving lesson again.

"Yes, Teddy was just telling me how much he's looking forward to it," Remus answered, smiling lovingly at Sirius.

"Excellent," Sirius answered. "I'm going to take a shower. Perhaps you'd like to join me, Remus?"

"Sure, I'll be up in a few minutes," Remus replied.

"What was that, Dad?" Teddy asked when Sirius was out of earshot.

"Son, you made a commitment. This will be a great life lesson for you."

"He nearly killed me!"

"But, he didn't," Remus answered. "Just humour him for a little while longer. He'll soon get bored and move onto something new."

"Fine," Teddy grumbled, "but if I die, it's your fault."

"I love you too, son," Remus answered before jogging up the stairs to join Sirius.


	23. MusicHistA7-ANaked Moony For Every Month

**Subject:** Music History

 **Task:** Write about someone who experiences something for the first time.

 **September Event:** Back to School

 **Prompts:** 27 (Object) Classroom table, 55 (Location) Empty Classroom

 **Word Count:** 740

* * *

A Naked Moony For Every Month

Sirius and Remus slipped into the empty classroom together, their hands interlinked. Sirius closed the door behind them and cast a silencing charm, swiftly followed by a locking charm to ensure they would not be interrupted, whilst Remus set up the equipment.

As he finished putting the camera onto the stand, Remus found himself growing more apprehensive about what they planned to do.

"Are you sure no one is going to show up?" Remus asked, taking off his cardigan and flinging it onto on of the tables. "I'm not sure how I feel about this."

Remus pulled at the hem of his shirt under the disappointed frown that crossed Sirius' face as he set up the camera stand.

"I just mean," Remus started as Sirius jumped up on a desk, "that I'm not much to look at and my body is covered in so many scars. What if someone sees?"

"Remus, you are the sexiest man I know. There's no need to be so shy," Sirius whispered, lazily flicking his wand to adjust the camera's position. "It's not as though I haven't seen it all before and from many, many different angles. And if anyone sees, which they won't, all they will think is how lucky I am to have you in my bed every night."

As if to emphasise his point, Sirius cocked his head to one side and made appreciative noises as he checked out his boyfriend's arse.

"Sirius, no," Remus answered shyly. "Besides, I've never done anything like this before."

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll get naked too," Sirius said, whipping his shirt off quickly.

"Okay then," Remus said, admiring Sirius' perfectly sculpted six pack.

"Excellent," Sirius purred as Remus took his shirt off too. "And I've just had the best idea. We can make January's shot a photograph of Professor Moony discipling his favourite student."

"Your mother would _love_ that," Remus said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, I may do a lot of things to piss her off," Sirius said, closing in on his boyfriend and cupping his cheek and kissing him gently on the lips. "But this calendar will be personal and for nobody's eyes except ours. Now, remove those clothes you sexy beast before I decide to do it for you."

Remus shook his head at Sirius as he kicked off his trainers, a small smile crossing his face as he thought about how his boyfriend's' mind was forever in the gutter.

As they finished undressing, they cast each other small glances.

"Are you ready to get started on our work of art?" Sirius asked, taking in his boyfriend's body.

"I suppose so," Remus replied. "Where do you want me?"

Sirius strutted over to the chalkboard and grabbed the metre ruler that was propped up against it and then handed it to Remus.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Remus asked.

"Do you remember that film we saw?" Sirius asked. "The one where the couple roleplays as a teacher and student. And the 'teacher' is spanking the student."

"Yeah," Remus answered, a wry smile crossing his face as he saw where Sirius was going with this.

"Well, I thought we could use that as inspiration for Mr January," Sirius told him, bending over the table and wiggling his arse at Remus.

"That, Mr Black, sounds like an excellent idea," Remus purred before clearing his throat and putting on his best authoritative voice. "But you have been a very naughty boy and need to be punished."

Remus reached for his wand on the desk and flicked it so that the camera would start taking pictures and placed it back down.

He paced up and down behind Sirius, slapping the ruler against his hand as he admired Sirius' arse, before hitting him gently with it.

"Mr Moony, you can do better than that," Sirius said, turning his head to face Remus.

Remus repeated the action, hitting him a little harder this time and continued to do so as the camera to his right flashed several times.

After a few minutes, when Sirius' arse was a light shade of pink, Remus stopped and Sirius turned around to face his boyfriend.

"So, would you like to see my idea for Mr February?" Sirius asked.

"I guess," Remus answered, smiling, wondering what it would be. And if it was anything like January's shot, Remus had a feeling that he would like it very much.


End file.
